3
Remarks on vaccination during
the triennial period ending on 31st
March 1893.
8. The above table No. 1 shows the vaccination work done in each district and on
tea estates in each of the past three years, and also compares
the numbers of the operations of each year with those of the
succeeding year, showing the differences between them, as
well as offering a comparison of the results of the past with those of the previous year.
During the triennial period which has just terminated the yearly number of opera-
tions has increased from 146,506 vaccinations in the season 1889-90 to 224,943 in the
season ending on 31st March of the current year, or an increase of 78,437 vaccinations
as compared with 17,673, the corresponding increase for the previous triennial period,
which is a considerable and satisfactory improvement. This increase has been very
steady and continuous, although in the past year it has not been as high as in the
previous year, which is explained by vaccinations in the Nága Hills having aggregated
14,275 in 1891-92, an increase of 10,430 over the figures of 1890-91, owing to the
reasons given in paragraph 9 below, and also to Manipur having increased the numbers of
the previous year (1891-92) by 7,481 over those of the year 1890 91, a considerable and
most exceptional increase, owing to the special circumstances of the inclusion of the
returns from Manipur for the first time in the body of last year's report and also to a
widespread epidemic of small-pox having so alarmed the people of Manipur that they
willingly submitted to vaccination, and even sought for it. Sylhet shows (see the figures
for the past year) the greatest increase (23,773) over the figures of 1889-90, Kámrúp,
Manipur, Darrang, Nága Hills, Nowgong, Lakhimpur, Cachar, Goálpára, and tea gardens
show the next highest figures in the order given. The large increase in the Sylhet
district is very creditable to the Civil Surgeons and the civil authorities concerned. The
increase was first very noticeable in the year 1890-91, and is referred to in paragraph 4
of the Provincial Annual Vaccination Report for that year. During each year of the
triennial period, and commencing after 1888-89, the increases in this district were
continuous, except in 1891-92, and very remarkable, and I may mention that Surgeon-
Captain S. H. Henderson, Dr. Partridge, Surgeons-Major J. W. Macnamara, and H. C.
Banerji were, in turn, in medical charge of this district during the triennial period under
review. It will be seen from the above that the good progress noted was effected chiefly
during the incumbencies of Drs. S. H. Henderson, Partridge, and Banerji. Dr. Macnamara
was on furlough from 2nd October 1889 to 11th October 1891, and remained in charge until
1st March 1892, during which latter period there was a decrease of 123 as compared with
the corresponding period in 1890-91. The reason of the increase in Manipur has been
given above. The increase in the Kámrúp district is very satisfactory. The increase in
the Nága Hills district from 88 in 1888-89 to 14,275 in 1891-92, even with the
comparatively reduced figures 7,110 for the past year, is, relatively to the popu-
lation, the most satisfactory of the remaining districts. In the Khási and Jaintia Hills
the increase in the triennial period only came to 745, which is but a poor result, arising
partly from the apparent inability of the late Civil Surgeon to travel about in his district
during the cold season, owing to the heavy medical duties in the sadr station of Shillong
as reported to me (see this office No. 3234C., dated the 17th December 1892, to the
Secretary to the Chief Commissioner of Assam). I hope the present Civil Surgeon will
be able to effect better results, and I am happy to be able to say that Dr. Dobson does
not think that there will be any difficulty in his doing so during his incumbency which
is satisfactory as, in my opinion, the vaccination of the people in this district has suffered
much from the want of such constant and personal supervision in the interior of the
district during the cold season.
Remarks on the vaccination
results of the past year, 1892-93.
9. Comparing the figures of the past with those of the previous vaccination season,
the grand total actual increase for all districts was 18,612,
which is not quite as high as the figures of the previous year
(19,221), merely because in that year the total number of
vaccinations was exceptionally swollen by the figures for the Nága Hills and Manipur,
owing to the epidemic of small-pox in both districts and the crowds of people in them who,
in consequence, sought protection against that disease through vaccination. So that, in
reality, the yearly increase has been continuous, and, but for those exceptional and
temporary causes, would have been actually much more than in the previous year.
The largest increase of vaccination during the past year in any one district (13,357)
took place in the Kámrúp district, which is a strikingly successful result, showing what
can be effected by an energetic Civil Surgeon, especially when well supported by the
Deputy Commissioner, and great credit for this is due to Surgeon-Major J. W. Macnamara
and the Deputy Commissioner, Mr. Teunon. In the same comparison, Sylhet, Darrang,
Manipur, and Nowgong, in the order given, show the most satisfactory work. Tea gardens
show a satisfactory increase over the figures of the previous year, which, together with the
increase (4,762) since 1888-89, shows that considerable attention is now given to