CALCUTTA AND THE SUBURBS.
xv
I am fully convinced that to appoint a young Medical Officer on such imperfect remu-
neration will be most fatal to the success of the undertaking. The responsibility involved
and the constant attention required, together with the many désagréments inseparable from
the appointment, render it one that no officer of any standing in the service would volun-
tarily accept. Even any young officer thrust into the appointment would take the first oppor-
tunity of resigning, as either the military service or the charge of the smallest civil station
would gladly be accepted by him in preference to such a distasteful charge. The appointment
which is required is that of a Superintendent General of Vaccination, similar to that in
Bombay, Madras, North-Western Provinces and Punjab, which carries a salary of Rs. 1,050
and a Surgeon along with it. Such an officer would of necessity, in addition to exercising a
general superintendence over these circles, also stand in the same relation to the vaccine
circles at Darjeeling and Ranchee, and be the adviser of the Government on all vaccine
matters connected with Bengal. Now that considerable sums of money are being spent
on vaccination, it seems to be of importance that one head should direct the vaccination of
the whole province. Certainly it will seem very strange to any critic who examines into the
question a few years hence, that such diversity should exist in the arrangements for vaccinating
in different parts of Bengal. If it is true, as strongly insisted on in the first Special Report on
the Presidency Vaccine Establishment, that the Calcutta system is superior in many respects
to that in practice elsewhere, it will be difficult for him to understand why the same system
was not extended to other parts of Bengal, when new circles were formed, after many years
of success had proved its efficiency at the Presidency.
Nature of the general superintendence.
12 In two of the circles the work of every vaccinator has been twice inspected during the
season, and in the other circle each man's work has
been thrice similarly looked into. The reason for
inspecting one of the circles more often than the others was that on the two first occasions
it was not found to be in such a satisfactory state as the others, owing to their Superintendent
Baboo Sreenauth Mookerjee, as pointed out last year, having proved himself unfit for the
duties of Superintendent.
Besides a personal inspection of the work performed by the vaccinators, the Superin-
tendent General has every week seen each of the Superintendents, and made himself acquainted
with the progress the work was making, and in conjunction with them all necessary arrange-
ments have been made. The registers kept by the vaccinators have been examined and from
time to time verified. The diary kept by each Superintendent has also assisted in furnish-
ing data to provide for an effective general superintendence, while the crusts sent to Calcutta
every week have served in a minor degree towards the same object.
Superintendents.
13. The three Superintendents in charge of these new circles were previously in the same
position in Calcutta, and each of them has had many
years of experience in the work ; not only so, but as
they had worked for years under my general superintendence, they were thoroughly at home
under my guidance, and throughout the season have zealously seconded me in every effort that
has been made to ensure a thoroughly successful vaccinating season.
I beg to bring them prominently forward to the notice of His Honor the Lieutenant
Governor of Bengal as most deserving of his approbation. Baboo Jadub Chunder Ghose has,
as is usual with him, succeeded in getting more work out of his vaccinators than either of the
other Superintendents. He has a special natural fitness for the hard and laborious life he
leads, and his success in overcoming opposition has often excited my admiration. Baboo
Buddynath Brummo has throughout kept his circle in the most perfect order. The vaccinations
I saw in his circle might each have served as a model from which to describe what success a
good vaccinator could arrive at, and the neatness and exactness of his diary and of any
work required of him personally were most praiseworthy. At times he labored under great
difficulties owing to many of his vaccinators being laid up with fever and owing to illness
depriving him of their services at the time he required them most. The population among
whom he labored, too, was a fever-stricken one, and one therefore requiring much exertion on
his part to overcome their scruples in being vaccinated.
Baboo Ram Soonder Ghose rejoined the department on the 22nd January from Moorshe-
dabad, where he has been in charge of the dispensary. Owing to the unfitness of his prede-
cessor Baboo Sreenath Mookerjee for the post of Superintendent, having allowed the vaccinators
to become lax and careless, the duty which devolved on him of getting his circle into better
order has been by no means a light one. His tact with the men, however, and the thorough
knowledge he possesses of vaccination, have enabled him to effect a large measure of improve-
ment, and by instructing the men who are still deficient during the hot season, I have every
confidence that under his management the circle will next year prove as effective as either of
the others.