REPORT ON VACCINATION IN ASSAM.
13
a special explanation was called for. Dr. Mullane in reply states in substance that both
the Deputy-Commissioner and the Civil Surgeon were of opinion it was not advisable
to dismiss these men all at once; and that the saving clause of the Chief Commis-
sioner's order was made available to keep 18 of the best of them who could have their
work fairly inspected. It may here be stated that the unpaid work of these 18 men,
amounting to 4,569 vaccinations and 4,243 successes, is nearly half of the whole district
work, and that without their aid vaccination in Kámrúp would make a very poor show
indeed.
Their operative value.
58. As to the genuine character and real value of the unpaid vaccination, Dr.
Mullane's opinion is less decided. He is quite satisfied that
these men have a local influence and persuasion that overcomes
opposition, so that vaccination is introduced by them where all other operators would fail;
but on the crucial points of the objections, viz., their practice of inoculation and vaccination
indiscriminately, the sustained purity of the lymph used, and the protection which follows
their operation, Dr. Mullane is silent. These, however, will, 1 feel sure, not escape his
observation, and so long as they are duly instructed, licensed, and inspected by competent
superiors, the objection to their employment disappears.
Results of compulsory vaccination at
Gauháti.
59. The other point in Kámrúp is the result of compulsory vaccination within
municipal limits. This remains, as stated in the report of
83.84, practically a dead letter. In consequence of the
Chief Commissioner's Resolution (paragraph 17) an effort appears to have been made
to carry out the provisions of the Vaccination Act of 1880; 14 prosecutions were instituted
before an Honorary Magistrate, and either small fines inflicted or the child ordered to be
vaccinated. The results do not seem very commensurate with the trouble, loss of time, and
detention from their other duties which this process entails on the sanitary authorities.
NOWGONG.
Nowgong shows the greatest advance of the
year.
60. The energy which has lately been infused into vaccination in this district
has received a remarkable development in the operations
for 1884-85. Ten years ago the numbers were counted in
less than hundreds, where now they are numbered by thousands.
Excellent annual report.
61. The annual report is written by Mr. McNaught, the newly-appointed Civil
Medical Officer, and is replete with careful observations. In
an appendix is reprinted a special memorandum on the
vaccination of the year, which is commended to the attentive perusal of all the Civil
Surgeons in the Province.
Systematic division of labour,
62. Instead of the work being carried out in the desultory manner hitherto, the
district was divided into nine areas, and the operators received
clear orders to confine their visits to their own area. Each
of them received " parwanas," and the mauzadars also received the same, indicating the
vaccinator who was appointed to their thána. They still meet with that prohibition against
vaccination by the Gosains, which appears to be founded as much on personal interest as
upon religious fanaticism.
and close supervision.
63. Inspection has been much more searching. Assistant-Surgeon Hari Charan Sen,
who was in medical charge of Nowgong almost the whole
season, inspected 1,928 cases, and found 1,620, or 84 per
cent., successful. A native inspector was appointed for the first time, and
he inspected 4,001 cases, and found 3,126, or 78 per cent., successful. Mr. McNaught,
who joined late in the season, saw 154 operations, and reported 84, or 54.54 per cent., suc-
cessful. All these figures are much nearer the truth than the returns of last year.
Knowing the close personal attention which Mr. McNaught gives to details and the
discrimination he gives to each particular case, I am inclined to think that his low per-
centage is the most reliable of the three.
Results
64. The work done in 1884-85 is very satisfactory. Vaccination was performed
in 543 villages, and the total of cases reached 10,872.
In 1883-84 the total was Rs. 2,983. There were 9,402
reported as successful, being an average of 86.47; only seven re-vaccinations, of which
four were successful. Last year there were only the Civil Surgeon, three provincial, two
local, and one Hospital-Assistant vaccinator at work. This year the staff was increased
to 14, viz., one Civil Surgeon and one Assistant-Surgeon, one native inspector,
three provincial, six local, and two Hospital-Assistants. No compounders and no ex-in¬
oculators were employed.
Complaints of the temporary employment
of the working staff, and advises apprentices.
65. The task of training vaccinators is seriously hampered by the system of discharg-
ing the employés at the end of the season. Mr. McNaught
recommends apprentices, but the difficulty is to find in¬
E