( 9 )
a protective vaccination is liable to follow the operation, and in this way the supply of virus is
apt suddenly to be brought to an end. In temperate countries such a result matters little,
because the virus, if not procurable in the neighbourhood, can be easily obtained at once from a
central source. It is true that during any day of the year, virus in an active state can be des-
patched from Calcutta, but a memorandum accompanies each despatch, pointing out the
possibility of the virus losing its virtue before arrival at its destination ; so that a great
practical difficulty exists during the hot season in India, which has no existence in Europe at
any time of the year. Theoretically it would no doubt be possible in ,a long course of years
to make Bengal a vaccinated country, but in reality the expense entailed on the Government
would be so enormous as practically to negative any such proposition.
CHAPTER III.
Regulation of Inoculation.
Additional restrictive measures falling on indivi-
duals and not on communities.
23. Such sanitary regulations as those detailed in paragraph 19 have taken firm root in
the minds of the Hindoos. They are arbitrary
and vexatious to such an extent that a temporal power
could hardly expect to be able to ensure compliance
with them, though superstition has succeeded in having them carried out among large com-
munities, with surprising strictness. In the course of a careful supervision of the practical work-
ing of inoculation, it may be found necessary to add to such rules, or even in certain districts to
enforce compliance with measures having a similar tendency, but falling less lightly on
those who are to observe them. Any such further restrictions, however, that may be found
necessary, will probably be required to coerce certain dangerous individuals, and will not fall
at all heavily on the community.
Special information regarding the Mahomedan population will require to be collected.
It is believed that in most places they conform closely to the Hindoo customs, and as they
comply with the sanitary restrictions of the ceremonial code already in existence, it seems
probable that they will not form an exception to the above observations. They are operated
on by Hindoo Inoculators, who guide them in all matters connected with the practice. I have
not heard of any occasions of the Mahomedans worshiping Sittolah, but I believe that they go
so far as sometimes to procure Ganges water; it is usual for them to place votive offerings on
the " Ghâtt" in an orthodox manner, so that prayers may be offered up to Sittolah by the
Hindoo operators.
Advantage of making known certain precautions
proper to observe.
24. There is not, for the present, evidence to shew that any compulsory measure is
needed. It might be well, however, to make known
extensively, the great advantage to be derived from
certain precautions. The sense of self-preservation
alone, would lead to their adoption in most cases, and accomplish a certain amount of good,
without proving irksome, or causing any possible hardship. As instances of what has now been
alluded to, the following may be enumerated. The head of the village should be directed to
use his influence to reconcile contending parties, and secure the whole village being inoculated
at once. He should advise those who would not or could not join thus, to leave the village for
a short time, or to seclude themselves as much as possible, from mingling with those from
infected houses. He should encourage all the villagers, before the inoculation, to lay in any
necessary articles they were likely to require during such period, as well as to dispose of any of their
possessions, which it might be necessary to sell at that particular time, before the inoculation
was commenced. In general terms he should point out to the villagers the propriety of their
confining themselves to their own village, and not frequenting places of public resort, as háts,
&c., till the danger of their spreading small-pox is at an end.
Following out the same principle, he might be asked to give the heads of the neighbour-
ing villages notice, that inoculation was going to take place, so that they may give warning
in their own villages that the infected locality should be avoided. Any such notification
should embrace the fewest possible points, and be embodied in a few familiar words, to prevent
all possibility of misapprehension.
Registration of Inoculators. Returns to be
required of them.
25. The first step in the regulation of inoculation consists in having every inoculator's
name registered, and obliging each man to report his
operations. In this way the executive would be in a
position to know of the exact amount of safety with
which each inoculator could operate, and be in a position to suspend him or otherwise punish