12
THE METROPOLITAN CIRCLES.
Second circle
Floods.
Sickness
5. Second Metropolitan Circle.—It was my intention to have sent these men
to work in Nuddea, where fair progress was made last year, and from which
I hoped for a large return for the year under report; but owing to the heavy
floods in that district I learnt it was impossible to set to work early in the
season. I therefore sent men in October to a portion of Burdwan, thannahs
Indoss (120 square miles), Khundghose (150 square miles), and Roynah (174
square miles approximately). Sickness prevailed to a larger extent than I was
led to believe in these thannahs. The vaccinators suffered much and, except in
Indoss, made but little progress; indeed in December the vaccinators in Roynah
were so completely prostrated from fever, that they were withdrawn and sent to
join the division working at Khundghose.
Early in January I removed the Roynah and Khundghose divisions to
Nuddea, where they worked in thannahs Kooshtea and Bhadalia (107
square miles), leaving the Indoss division to complete the vaccination of that
thannah.
Amount of work
done.
In the three thannahs of Burdwan and two of Nuddea zillah they worked
in 266 villages and vaccinated 17,592 persons. Parties were likewise sent to
arrest the spread of small-pox in the Chooadangah sub-division of Nuddea.
The thannah Indoss is well protected, with the exception of a few villages on
the bank of the Roopnarain, where fever was very rife.
Kooshtea is also well protected, as is Bhadalia. with the exception of a
few villages to the south-east of the thannah, which there was no time to
overtake.
Khundghose and Roynah are but slightly touched owing to the prevalence
of endemic fever.
Third circle.
Area assigned.
6. Third Metropolitan Circle.—To the Deputy Superintendent of this circle,
Baboo Jadub Chunder Grhose, were assigned six thannahs in the Burdwan zillah,—
Keogong, Munglecote, Cutwa, Sahibgunge, Montessur, and Poorbusthulee, an
area of 720 square miles. In this the vaccinators worked in 440 villages, and
vaccinated 45,290 persons.
Amount of work
done
Of these six thannahs, Keogong, Sahibgunge, and Poorbusthulee, are well
protected; Munglecote about three-fourths; Cutwa one-half; and Montessur but
slightly protected. In Munglecote and Cutwa fever was very prevalent. In
Montessur also fever prevailed, but there was besides a more determined
opposition to the new operation.
Men from this circle were also sent to stamp out small-pox in the Diamond
Harbour division of the 24-Pergunnahs.
Work mainly con-
-ined to Burdwan.
7. It will be seen from this that the whole of the vaccinators were
employed in Burdwan from October to December, and more than two-thirds
for the remainder of the season.
Reason.
Result
This plan was not adopted without mature consideration. Of the four
zillahs under my superintendence, the 24-Pergunnahs have been gone
over in previous years, once entirely and twice in part; Hooghly has been
passed over, with the exception of the extreme west; Nuddea has been visited
in its southern half, and the floods prevented a resumption of the work; whereas
Burdwan zillah, stretching as it does along the great line of railway, had
been but slightly touched, and that only in villages close to the railway stations.
I was prepared for opposition from what I heard from civil officers and others
who knew the people well, and expected a diminished return, although not to the
extent which has taken place, yet I do not regret adopting the plan, as we have
made an impression on every part of this zillah, the only new ground left
within the area of the metropolitan circles, and vaccination will in future be
received as in the three other zillahs.