CALCUTTA AND THE SUBURBS.
xxi
Attitude of the Zemindars towards vaccina-
tion.
23. Whenever the vaccinators were working on the estate of a Zemindar whose influence
could be brought to bear on the people to induce
them to submit to vaccination, it was as a rule readi-
ly granted. Several of the Zemindars shewed a most
enlightened readiness to assist the vaccinators, and their good will proved very beneficial in
securing the work being more rapidly carried on. In the instances of only two Zemindars
with small holdings did they prove an obstruction. In one of the instances I had to write a
letter to a Zemindar within five miles of Government House, who would not allow
his ryots to accept vaccination. I wrote to him in a conciliatory strain, inviting him to come and
see me if he felt any doubts on the subject of vaccination, while I pointed out to him that he
must not interfere in the way he was doing. He withdrew his opposition without having any
interview with me, and the vaccinators effected their purpose. The other instance occurred
also very near Calcutta; three or four joint holders of land, one of whom was a law-agent,
chose to interdict their ryots, who were willing enough, from being vaccinated. They too
were addressed on the subject, and while it was pointed out to them that they were perfectly
free not to receive vaccination in their own families, they were told that they could not be al-
lowed to take away the same liberty for action from others who had no objection to accept it.
Their ryots were all vaccinated after this communication.
The incarnation of Sittolah assisting the vac-
cinators.
24. It may be interesting to put on record an incident which this year occurred in the
Shampore Thannah. The wife of a priest of Sitto-
lah seems to have believed herself to have been pos-
sessed or inspired by the goddess and to have been
of considerable assistance to the vaccinators. While listening to the detail of what occurred
soon after it had taken place near the site of this incident, the mind was carried at once back
to the descriptions of the orgasms of the Pythia at the Delphian temple. This incarnation
of Sittolah seems to have thrown herself into a state very much resembling that narrated of
the priestess at ancient oracles, and with violent gesticulations and fervour to have made
known the will of the divinity presiding over small-pox in a state bordering on ecstacy. She
declared that the vaccinators were commissioned by the goddess to stay small-pox and order-
ed that food should be given to them, and that the people should accept their services.
In 1864 in the village of Parool, in the Dhunniakhally Thannah, a similar instance of a
woman believing herself to be inspired by Sittolah occurred. She however amid incohe-
rent ravings denounced the vaccinators and prophecied that every one they operated on would
die. Only three vaccinations were done that year in Parool, one of them having been per-
formed in my own presence. In a subsequent year most of the inhabitants of Parool were
vaccinated, this woman assisting the vaccinators after saying that Sittolah had given her
permission to do so, when all the surrounding villages had been overtaken.
While speaking of the incident which occurred this year, Baboo Jadub Chunder Ghose,
the Superintendent of the circle in which it took place, says in his report—" A Brahmin woman
in the village Nowleah, the wife of a priest of the goddess Sittolah, finding that it was too
late to make any opposition and that the surrounding villages have all been vaccinated, and
that she could not any longer keep her stand against vaccination, and also with a view to
keep up her earnings, gave out that she had been inspired by the goddess. She accordingly
continued to shake her head before the goddess on the usual Poojah days, and when my man
Hurrish Chunder visited her he found her suddenly falling to the ground insensible, rising
up again and saying that she had sent word to Maharanee (Queen Victoria) to send vaccina-
tors to Shampore Thannah and to vaccinate the children, and that the vaccinators had
accordingly come and were vaccinating. She added that a Government vaccinator must be
waiting here, so the priest, the husband of the woman, called out to see if there was a Gov-
ernment vaccinator present. Hurrish Chunder who stood by to witness this inspiration, was
pointed out as having been deputed to the spot."
The influence exerted by the woman was restricted to very narrow limits, otherwise the
ravings of such a fanatic would have exercised a salutary effect on making the population
willing to receive the vaccinators.
Inoculation and vaccination going on together.
25. Having a given tract of country to protect in which very many of the inhabitants were
much attached to inoculation, as might have been
expected beforehand, the vaccinators had to come
into competition with inoculators. As soon as the season for inoculation began, the inocula-
tors entered the field against them. At times they succeeded so far as to carry off a large
share of the children who remained unprotected, while in other instances the vaccinators
proved more than a match for them, leaving none unprotected for them to operate on. At
times the inocuiatois succeeded in inoculating in spite of all the vaccinators could do, but
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