( 25 )
temporarily was said to be insuperable. Judicious perseverence, however,
in some places, in accordance with my expressed conviction that it would
succeed, has gained the day, and I now find on returning to Bengal that
there is scarcely any prejudice in the northern, eastern and lower districts
of the Province. I have not had time yet to gauge the public feeling on the
subject in Bihar and Western Bengal, but I am assured by officials who know
those parts of the Province, and have learnt to appreciate the advantage of
calf-vaccination, that there will be no difficulty in introducing the method there.
I hope, therefore, before I lay down the Sanitary Commissionership of Bengal,
to see nothing but calf vaccination practiced throughout the Province. Lano-
line vaccine-paste, which is a mixture of calf virus, and lanoline—a preserva-
tive—is the third kind of vaccine lymph at present used in Bengal. It is very
good indeed when fresh, and is appreciated by the people, especially in parts
of the Province where the prejudice against direct calf vaccination is still
strong, and also in places where difficulty is experienced in obtaining children
as vaccinifers. The only objection to this lymph is, that no stored lymph can
possibly be as good as the virus taken fresh from the calf Lanoline lymph
is, however, very useful in starting vaccination, and also in times of emergency
such as sudden outbreaks of small-pox epidemics, and for this reason,
principally its preparation and supply, should be kept up as at present, the dep6ts
continuing under European supervision. It is scarcely necessary for me
to point out that it would be a very serious matter indeed if inert lymph
was sent to places in which small-pox was raging. The quality of the lymph
and the keeping up of a good stock is a matter of vital importance. The follow-
ing table shows the amount of work of the two animal Vaccine Depôts during
each of the last three years, and it is satisfactory to observe that it has
increased and is increasing yearly, which shows that lanoline vaccine paste is
getting to be more and more . appreciated by the local authorities, who are
supplied on indent.
PERIOD.
1
1895-96... ...
1894-95... ...
1893-94... ...
Average of 1893-96... ...
ANNUAL VACCINE DEPÔT,
CALCUTTA.
Number of
calves operated
on.
2
318
292
115
242
Amount of
lanoline paste
in grains manu-
factured.
3
49,116
36,800
10,002
31,973
ANIMAL VACCINE DEPÔT,
SENCHAI., DARJEELING.
Number of
calves operated
on.
4
211
164
54
143
Amount of
lanoline paste
in grains manu-
factured.
5
51,230
47,318
8,305
35,618
Supply of lanoline lymph to
Nepal.
16 In connection with the use of lanoline lymph paste, it is interesting
to note that during the year 1895 a large quantity
was supplied gratis to the Nepal Darbar in accord-
ance with the desire expressed by the Prime
Minister to the then Lieutenant-Governor, Sir Charles Elliott, that he was
anxious to introduce vaccination in Nepal with this lymph. Five batches of
lymph were accordingly sent from the Animal Vaccine Depôt in Darjeeling
to the medical authorities in Nepal, of which the results of two only are
known. It appears from a communication received from Nepal that, although
the season for vaccination was well advanced when these two batches of
lymph reached Nepal, it was used with very satisfactory results. Out of 694
persons vaccinated with it, as many as 573 cases proved successful. It was
also stated that a number of vaccinators had been trained up by the Medical
Officers in Nepal, and that vaccination having been successfully started, would