( 5 )
than the ordinary lancet. In Dr. Gregg's opinion, however, the one instrument
is in fact as suitable as the other, and until a more definite opinion can be arrived
at as to the superiority of either instrument, the Lieutenant-Governor would
leave it to Civil Surgeons to choose for themselves with which they will perform
their operations.
Reorganization of the Vaccina-
tion Department.
14. As was noticed in the closing paragraph of the Resolution on last
years returns, Dr. Gregg's proposal to extend the
compulsory clauses of the Vaccination Act to
rural areas, with a view to check the growing
feeling of opposition to vaccination among the people, did not commend
itself to the Lieutenant-Governor in the absence of adequate machinery to
enforce those provisions, and the remedy was sought for in a reorganization
of the department. This question engaged the attention of Government
during the year under review, and since the close of the year material changes
have been introduced with the sanction of the Government of India. Under
the old system, the Superintendent of Vaccination had an inconveniently
large area to deal with, which rendered it impossible for him to work in
effective concert with the District Magistrate; and much of the opposition
with which vaccination was received was attributed to its being cut off
from the district administrative, and left to fight its way unaided by the
influence which a District Officer may judiciously exercise in matters like this,
as experience had shewn that, in the few instances in which vaccination officers
have been able to work in concert with the district executive, satisfactory results
were obtained. The chief feature of the changes introduced is the transfer of
the executive supervision and control of the work of vaccination to Civil Sur-
geons, who are for this purpose ex-officio Superintendents of Vaccination in their
respective districts, and who have been allowed a sufficient establishment, recruited
in great measure from the existing staff, to carry on the work. Of the six
Superintendents of Vaccination hitherto employed in the Department, the services
of three have been retained as supervising officers under the re-organized scheme.
The jurisdiction of each of the three Deputy Sanitary Commissioners will
comprise three of the nine revenue divisions of the province; and among
other duties these officers will be required to inspect and report on vaccina-
tion operations in specified areas of districts to be selected in the beginning of
each year in communication with the Civil Surgeons concerned. The Lieuten-
ant-Governor will expect Dr. Gregg to report fully on the working of the
scheme in next year's report.
By order of the Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal,
H. H. RISLEY,
Secretary to the Government of Bengal.
No. 2588S.
COPY of the Resolution, forwarded to the Sanitary Commissioner, Bengal,
for information.
Circular No. 38S.
Copy of the Resolution, with a copy of the notes, forwarded to all Com-
missioners of Divisions for information.
No. 2589S.
Copy of the Resolution, with a copy of the notes, forwarded to the Inspector-
General of Civil Hospitals, Bengal, for information.
By order of the Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal,
H. J. McINTOSH,
Qffg. Under-Secretary to the Govt. of Bengal.
DARJEELING,
The 23rd September 1892.
A. S. G.—Reg. No. 3857C—1,242—23-9-92.