6
REPORT ON VACCINATION IN ASSAM.
TABLE NO. IV.
Showing the number of vaccinations actually inspected by the Civil Surgeons and Native Superintendents,
and the number of these found successful during the year 1883-84.
No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
Districts.
Khási Hills
Gáro „ .......
Goálpára .........
Kámrúp .............
Nowgong ...........
Darrang ...........
Sibságar ............
Nága Hills .........
Lakhimpur ........
Sylhet ............
Cachar ...........
Total
Number of vaccina-
tions inspected.
By Civil
Surgeons.
84
1,950
1,328
415
1,597
1,013
1,793
130
3,301
281
418
12,310
By Native
Superinten-
dents of
Vaccina-
tion.
.........
.........
3,949
3,371
.........
.........
.........
.........
.........
5,460
.........
12,780
Number of vaccina-
tions found successful.
By Civil
Surgeons.
72
1,702
1,201
372
1,387
962
1,551
120
2,544
253
327
10,491
By Native
Superinten-
dents of
Vaccina-
tion.
.........
.........
3,505
3,197
.........
.........
.........
.........
.........
5,439
.........
12,141
Number of vaccina-
tions found unsuccess-
ful.
By Civil
Surgeons.
12
248
127
43
210
51
242
10
757
28
91
1,819
By Native
Superinten-
dents of
Vaccina-
tion.
.........
.........
444
174
.........
.........
.........
.........
.........
21
.........
639
Percentage of success-
ful cases actually
verified by inspection.
By Civil
Surgeons.
85.71
87.28
90.43
89.63
8685
94.96
86.50
92.30
77.06
90.03
78.22
85.22
By Native
Superinten-
dents of
Vaccina-
tion.
.........
.........
88.75
94.83
.........
.........
.........
.........
.........
99.61
.........
95.00
Number and result of inspections.
22. This very important branch of the work has, it is pleasing to report, received
generally both by Civil Surgeons and Native Superintend-
ents the attention which it merits. In the report of last
year the Sanitary Commissioner expressed great satisfaction with Dr. Warburton, the
Civil Surgeon of Darrang, for having inspected 1,525 cases as being " the highest number
yet recorded." This year Surgeon H. H. Whitwell stands pre-eminently first, with a
total of 3,301, Mr. McNaught, in the Gáro Hills, is second with 1,950, while Sibságar
with 1,793, Nowgong with 1,597, and Goálpára with 1,328 are all good and deserving
of record. The low figure (84) at Shillong was probably due to Surgeon-Major
Johnson's absence with the Aka Expedition, but Surgeon Borah, with only 130, in the
Nága Hills, is again very much behind.
Details of inspection
Results among classes.
23. The general results are that 12,310 cases were inspected, compared with 8,571
in 1882-83, that 10,491 were reported to be successful,
being an average of 85.22 per cent. as against 82.68 per
cent. last year. The four Native Superintendents inspected in addition 12,780, of which
the Goálpára Superintendent claims a good share of 3,949 single-handed. The Native
Superintendents reported 12,141 successful, being 95 per cent. all round. The average
of " successes" reported is unduly favourable. The attention of the Civil Surgeon of
Sylhet is invited to a re-consideration of the statistics of these subordinates in that
district. Only 21 failures are reported among 5,460 operations, or 99.6 per cent.
successes. It is reasonable to enquire whether these Superintendents are reliable; if they
are so, the inference is that they do not appreciate correctly the significance of the term
" successful" vaccination. Once we can be satisfied that "successes" are being applied
honestly and fairly, the tale of annually increasing statistics becomes gratifying; but if
the term is applied simply to the operator's work without any proof of benefit to the
individual operated on, it is hardly necessary to remark that the wider the figures spread
the more general is the failure.