viii
REPORT.
Concentration of
agency necessary.
A flying party re-
quired.
Protection to be
maintained by
local vaccinators.
one or two zillahs, and (b) to concentrate the agency now employed in the
several zillahs of the circle in particular parts of it, say the sudder thannah,
protect thoroughly and maintain thoroughly protected that, and extend
gradually as means and men permit. I am inclined to the last-mentioned
scheme, as I have a strong opinion that vaccine operations should be conducted
in relation to the divisions which have been made for purposes of civil
administration. If it will become possible eventually to localize vaccination, the
present general and special efforts should be arranged so as to permit of the gradual
development of that object. If either scheme of concentrated vaccination is
adopted, viz. concentrating the whole establishment in one district, or concen-
trating a part in a particular and definite portion of each district, a flying
agency will become necessary to cope with outbreaks of small-pox. The
Commissioner of the Rajshahye division and Superintendent of Vaccination are
agreed in this, and it is proposed further, as successive districts or areas are
thoroughly protected, to instruct and license inoculators and distribute them
as local practitioners of vaccination over definite portions of the protected
area for the purpose of maintaining protection. Act IV of 1865 might then
be applied to the areas, districts, or portions of districts, thus successively
disposed of.
Summary of plan
for future work.
A plan of the kind now sketched promises the best results, and there
appears to be no difficulty in realizing it. It consists briefly of—1st, concen-
trating the existing establishment; 2nd, placing a flying agency at the disposal
of the Superintendent for the purpose of coping with small-pox; 3rd,
instructing and licensing inoculators for the purpose of maintaining the area
once thoroughly protected habitually protected; and 4th, prohibiting inoculation
in this area after arrangements shall have been completed for its satisfactory
protection. I commend this scheme most strongly for adoption. The details can
be worked out and gradually realized by the local authorities in communication
with the Superintendent.
28. The particulars given by Dr. Lidderdale regarding small-pox, inocu-
lation, and instructing inoculators, are most interesting and important, and will
be noticed in a future paragraph.
Ranchi circle.
Summary of oper-
ations.
29. Ranchi Circle.—Dr. Wood's report on vaccine operations in the Chota
Nagpore division gives evidence of excellent work and decided progress in the
right direction. The establishment remaining the same, its efforts were concen-
trated, and work systematically performed in those portions of the thannahs
surrounding Ranchi which had not been protected in former years. The
number of persons vaccinated by the agency of the establishment exceeded that
of 1870-71 by 12,337, and of persons successfully vaccinated by 14,087. The
ratio of success was thus higher. Each vaccinator performed on an average
1,782 operations against 1,165, and the cost of each successful case was Rs. 0-4-7
against Rs. 0-7-02/5. These results are very creditable.
Instructing inocu-
lators.
30. In addition to the work of the Government establishment great
progress has been made in instructing inoculators and permitting them to
practise on their own account. 16,263 operations were performed by this agency,
principally in the districts of Maunbhoom and Singbhoom. Details are given
in Dr. Wood's report and in the abstracts of the reports of Messrs. Wilson and
Manook, who inspected the work of these men and found it on the whole
satisfactory.
Considerations re-
garding
the
future,
31. While these results are satisfactory and of great promise for the future,
it is evident that some system and organization are needed to provide for the
continuous and complete protection of the districts of this division. I have
perused with pleasure Colonel Dalton's letter No. 118, dated 31st January 1872,
on which I shall offer some comments in a separate communication. I may state
here, however, that I agree fully with the Commissioner's views. The Govern-
ment establishment is quite unequal to maintaining complete vaccination even
in one district. The areas protected year after year cannot be revisited again