THE METROPOLITAN CIRCLES.
11
It is far easier to keep the men within call, ready to proceed to a locality
infected with small-pox, if the vaccinators of each circle form a gang in
the neighbourhood of the residence of the Deputy Superintendents under
whom they work, than if they are scattered through a number of dispensaries.
Reconsideration of
the order soli-
cited.
Unless, therefore, the services of the vaccinators in the dispensaries are such
an advantage to these institutions as to outweigh the disadvantages to this
department, I would beg that the employment of vaccinators in dispensaries
may be reconsidered.
Plan of work.
3. Mode or plan of employment during the vaccinating season.—The men were
employed during the vaccinating season for the most part in gangs of six or
seven men under the superintendence of a head vaccinator, and a certain defined
area was allotted to each gang, usually a tract of country commensurate with a
thannah, adjoining thannahs being taken up by other similar gangs.
Preliminary pro-
ceedings.
The civil authorities were previously requested to aid the vaccinators
by allowing the notices, that they might be expected shortly, to be posted at
the gateways of police chowkies and other conspicuous places by police
constables or chowkidars, proving thereby that the vaccinators are in Govern-
ment employ; by proclaiming by beat of tom-tom their arrival; and generally
to assist, by influencing the people amongst whom they resided, to accept of
vaccination, but carefully avoiding all show of coercion. The influential
natives were called on by the Deputy Superintendents and myself, who explained
the benefits of vaccination and the absence of danger and restraint attending
it; sometimes the visits were made to single men of influence, at other times
a meeting of the leading inhabitants of a village was called together to meet
the Superintendent.
Assistance render¬
ed by a zemin-
dar.
Great assistance was rendered to us at Mancoor by Baboo Hitalall
Missra, a large and influential zemindar and Honorary Magistrate in the
thannah of Bood-Bood, who, both by personal addresses and by issuing a
proclamation to the peeple of Mancoor, induced many to accept of vaccination;
but I could not succeed in inducing him to be vaccinated, or to submit his
son to the operation. At first he promised to be vaccinated after he had seen
thirty or forty cases ; then he postponed it from time to time, until at length
he said it made but little difference now, as by his precept the people had been
gained over and his example was no longer required. At Indos and Cutwa I
gained over some of the leading men by meeting them at the thannah and
Deputy Magistrate's house at Khundghose and Bood-Bood. I was less success-
ful at Mahata, thannah Sahibgunge. I could make no impression on the
leading zemindar, but I succeeded in gaining the consent of a lesser but still
influential man. Some native gentlemen will not willingly meet a European
or admit him to their houses ; one specially near Keogong could not be pre-
vailed on to meet me. Here the Deputy Superintendent gained admission, and
after great difficulty gained the co-operation of the dewan, after which opposi-
tion gradually ceased.
First circle
Area assigned.
Amount of work
done.
4. First Metropolitan Circle.—The district assigned to the Deputy Superin-
tendent of the first circle, Baboo Ram Soonder Ghose, to be overtaken during
the vaccinating season of 1871-72, consists of five thannahs in the Burdwan
zillah,—Neamutpore, Raneegunge, Kaksa, Bood-Bood, and Ausgram, with an
area of 960 square miles. In this the vaccinators worked in 267 villages, and
vaccinated 28,634 persons. Of these thannahs, about five-sixths of Raneegunge
and Neamutpore have been protected, the remaining sixth is left, owing to the
expiry of the vaccinating season. About one-half of Kaksa is protected, the
remainder could not be overtaken owing to the determined opposition of the
inhabitants of one influential village,—Gopalpore. About two-thirds of Ausgram
have been protected, the remaining third being overrun with endemic fever.
Bood-Bood has been fairly protected, with the exception of a few villages
to the west.