34
SONTHAL PERGUNNAHS.
thought it would be mere waste of time and trouble at once to send vaccinators
in the midst of a new district, where they were sure to meet with strong opposi-
tion from the people. To obviate this difficulty I instructed those of my
vaccinators who were working in the far interior of Rajmehal to proceed with
their work gradually towards Pakour on the one side and Godda on the other,
so that when they approached the borders thereof the introduction of vaccin-
ation into them would be almost a spontaneous result; for, as a matter of
course, constant communication is going on between the inhabitants of villages
bordering upon each other in different districts. Vaccination is thus brought
to the doors of those who had never heard of it before; the protected villages
testify to its good results, whilst the unprotected learn to appreciate them.
I had not, however, to wait till the very borders of Rajmehal had been
reached, to introduce the work into Pakour and Godda. As the vaccinators
were proceeding with their work, I was busy in preparing the minds of the
people of Pakour for the reception of vaccination, and when I found that a
certain number of native gentlemen were ready to set the example in their own
households, I took hold of the opportunity of setting a vaccinator in the midst
of them. The work being thus started in Pakour as well as in Godda, towards
the latter end of January began to make fair progress in the former till it was
fairly established. In the latter it was merely introduced, but could not make
progress; as the vaccinators, being established and busily occupied in Rajmehal
and Pakour, could not, without detriment to the work, attend to three districts
at the same time.
As a proof of the success of the plan adopted by us, it might be said that
the inhabitants of those villages in Pakour where work has been done consist
chiefly of Hindus and Mussulmans, who are generally known in other places to
be foremost in opposing vaccination; but these here did not show much or
any resistance. They had seen or heard of the work amongst their kindred
races in several villages adjoining Bahawa, and were therefore convinced of its
good effects. The Sonthals of certain villages in Pakour did at first think it an
innovation, but the occurrence of small-pox in one village as described below
facilitated its introduction. And the kind and timely assistance rendered me
on all occasions of difficulty by Mr. C. W. Wilmot, the Assistant Commissioner
of Rajmehal, who always took a warm interest in the promotion of vaccination,
deserves my warmest acknowledgments.
In the beginning of March 1872 the Civil Surgeon of Sonthal Pergunnahs
directed me to send the head vaccinator to Doomka, for the purpose of training
up certain men engaged there by the Assistant Commissioner, as well as of
carrying on the work. This man was preparing to start when he met with a
severe accident by a fall from his pony and was kept back. Another man
was subsequently sent in his place, but it being then too late in the season, he
was ordered back to Rajmehal. I am sorry the proposal came late, or it would
have been very desirable if the work were introduced at Doomka this season
in the way suggested by the Civil Surgeon,
Results
4. The total number of persons vaccinated during the year, as shown
in the returns, amounts to 8,352 against 6,454 of the previous year, the per-
centage of successful cases 90.86 against 87.84, and the cost of each successful
case 4 annas 8.42 pie against 6 annas 0.25 pie of the preceding year.
This is no doubt a very gratifying result compared to that of the previous
year. It shows an increase of 1,898 over the total number of that year, a rise
by 3 per cent. in the percentage of successful cases, and a marked reduction in
the cost of each successful case. This last circumstance is the more striking
as during the year under review the actual expenditure of our establishment
has been increased by an addition of extra allowance to the pay of the Deputy
Superintendent, and an enhanced rate of pay to the vaccinators. The number
of operations would have been still higher if it were not for the accident which
befell our head vaccinator, and which prevented him from working during the
whole of March.