REPORT ON VACCINATION IN ASSAM.
5
Percentage of successful operations in each
class.
17. An abstract of Table III. is given in Provincial Statement III., printed at page 25.
It is useful, because it gives the percentage of successful
operations among the different classes. In primary opera-
tions the provincial and licensed vaccinators are the highest ; and these men apparently
excel Civil Surgeons in their art. It will be observed that 30 Hospital-Assistants, who
have had the benefit of hospital training, are far below the rank and file of vaccinators, of
whose training and want of skill no one complains more frequently than Dr. Macnamara,
at the very time he claims that their pretentious successes in Sylhet are reasonable.
TABLE NO. IV.
Showing the number of vaccinations actually inspected by the Civil Surgeons, Assistant Surgeon, and
Native Inspectors, and the number of those found successful during the year 1885-86.
Number.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
Districts.
Goálpára ......
Kámrúp ......
Nowgong ......
Darrang ......
Sibságar......
Lakhimpur ...
Nága Hills ...
Khási „ ...
Gáro „ ...
Sylhet ......
Cachar ......
Total ......
Number of vaccinations
inspected.
By Civil Surgeons.
3,703
2,153
1,513
1,056
1,236
157
205
208
2,671
1,492
942
15,336
By Assistant-Surgeon.
...
...
...
...
150
...
...
...
...
...
...
150
By Native Inspectors.
6,168
5,647
3,146
3,658
4,321
......
......
......
......
16,866
3,752
43,558
Number of vaccinations
found successful.
By Civil Surgeons.
3,396
1,873
1,195
858
1,090
142
166
164
2,475
1,457
876
13,692
By Assistant-Surgeon.
...
...
...
...
137
...
...
...
...
...
...
137
By Native Inspectors.
5,655
4,621
2,776
3,066
3,840
......
......
......
......
16,490
3,398
39,846
Number of vaccina-
tions found un-
successful.
By Civil Surgeons.
307
280
318
198
146
15
39
44
196
35
66
1,644
By Assistant-Surgeon
...
...
...
...
13
...
...
...
...
...
...
13
By Native Inspectors.
513
1,026
370
592
481
...
...
...
...
376
354
3,712
Percentage of success-
ful cases actually
verified by inspection.
By Civil Surgeons.
91.70
86.99
78.98
81.25
88.18
90.44
80.97
78.84
92.66
97.65
92.99
89.28
By Assistant-Surgeon.
...
...
...
...
91.33
...
...
...
...
...
...
91.33
By Native Inspectors.
91.68
81.83
38.23
83.81
88.87
...
...
...
...
97.77
90.56
91.47
* Of these, 91 by Dr. Griffiths at Mauphlang.
Statistics of inspection.
18. The important subject of inspection is illustrated above. Out of a total of
115,642 vaccinations, 59,044, or 51 per cent., were inspected,
viz., 15,336 by Civil Surgeons, 150 by one Assistant-Surgeon,
and 43,558 by superior native officers. The latter take the largest share of this duty, and,
with an increased number, have nearly doubled the proportion verified in 1884-85. But
the increase is due in a great measure to the proportion of the Sylhet figures, and in my
review of that district annual report will be found some remarks on the doubtful correct-
ness of this record. Except in Lakhimpur, the Nága, and Khási Hills, inspection may
now be said to be thoroughly established, and its importance recognised in every district.
In Lakhimpur Dr. Whitwell excused himself this year, owing to his being engaged in
study of Assamese, but it is to be hoped the district will resume next year the front rank
it formerly held. In the Nága and Khási Hills there are special reasons why inspection
cannot be carried on by Civil Surgeons.
Results in Sylhet.
19. In this table also the peculiar excellence claimed for Sylhet vaccination is not
in harmony with the practical results of vaccination elsewhere
in Assam. Dr. Macnamara claims for his own inspec-
tion, numbering nearly 1,500, a proportion of 97.65 as successful, and his two native
inspectors exceed even this, with 97.77. This is not a question which is merely a matter
of figures; it affects the real protective value of the work. Dr. Macnamara considers