6
union here, so I recommend that the Local Board be directed to engage a good vaccinator
and I am submitting a letter to the Chief Commissioner to this effect.
Sunámganj Union.
27. There was no paid vaccinator employed in this union. The compounder attached
to the Sunámganj dispensary was paid Rs. 2 monthly
for four months for performing vaccination operations within
the limits of the union. -He performed 51 operations, and the Hospital Assistant,
in addition to inspecting these cases, performed 24 operations, total 75, against 359
operations in the previous year. There ought to be a vaccinator here also,—application
follows.
Jorhát Union.
28. One paid vaccinator on Rs. 10 per month was engaged by the union. 640
primary operations were performed against 805 in the
preceding year. Of that number, 622 were successful. The
total expenditure on vaccination was Rs. 60, and the average cost of each successful
case was 1 anna 6 pies. More activity is required here, and I am directing the attention
of the Civil Surgeon of the Sibságar district to this point.
Golághát Union.
29. One vaccinator was entertained by the union at Rs. 10 per month for six
months during the the year. 147 operations were performed,
against 100 in the previous year, or an increase of 47
operations, as compared with the figures in 1889-90. Of that number, 145 were success-
ful, against 88 in the preceding year. The total expenditure on vaccination was Rs.
60, and the average cost of each successful case was 1 anna 6 pies.
Remarks on the working of the Animal Lymph Depôt formed at Shillong by order of the
Chief Commissioner under letter No. 3-205 (Home Department—Sanitary), dated the
29th June 1889, from the Secretary to the Government of India to the Chief Commis-
sioner of Assam.
Selection of Shillong as the best
place for the animal lymph depôt
for Assam.
30. The Chief Commissioner's order having been received on the 9th August 1889,
I consulted with the Civil Surgeons and Deputy Commis-
sioners of the Province, and more especially with the Civil
Surgeon of Shillong (Surgeon-Major R. Neil Campbell),
the only officer in Assam who had had previous experience in the Vaccination Department,
acquired when he was Deputy Sanitary Commissioner in the North West Provinces.
It was determined that the depôt must be situated in the hills, where only the lymph
in its preparation could be free from the injurious influence of heat, and also as the
climate would probably be favourable to a good quality of lymph being produced
from the inoculated calves ; and Shillong was selected as the most suitable, in every
respect, of our hill stations for the purpose under consideration.
Establishment of the depôt,
with results.
31. The depôt was established on the 13th January 1890. Goats were tried at first for
inoculation with humanised lymph on account of being
plentiful, their cheapness, &c., but, having proved a failure,
calves were, from the 2nd June 1890, tried, and have proved
a success without being ruinous in cost, owing to Dr. Campbell's good management.
The first lymph taken from the inoculated calves was distributed in the Khási and
Jaintia and in the Nága Hills on the 6th August 1890, as it was then too late in the year
for vaccination work in the plains. Beginning with the season of 1890-91, supplies of
lymph were distributed amongst all the Civil Surgeons of the Province, which were subse-
quently continued weekly according to the requirements of each district as expressed by
the Civil Surgeons concerned. There was, speaking generally, no hitch or difficulty of any
kind in this distribution, which went on regularly and evenly as long as Dr. Campbell
remained in charge of the depôt as Civil Surgeon of Shillong. Almost from the outset,
the success of lymph from this depôt became so firmly established, having been almost
invariably successful, that most of the Civil Surgeons discontinued the use of the English
or Darjeeling humanised lymph, &c., supplied to them ; all of which, in comparison to
the Shillong depôt lymph, were generally failures ; and, after sufficient trials, were quite
disused. Indeed, the ill success of the English and Darjeeling lymph was this year so
marked that it has reduced the average success of our depôt lymph below its real value
and actual success, and in the Gáro Hills, where the latter was used almost to the exclu-
sion of other kinds of lymph, a percentage of 99.84 of success was obtained from it.
Both results having been mixed up, I cannot differentiate them this year, but shall
next year give the results of vaccination with the Shillong depôt animal lymph sepa-
rately from those of English or of Darjeeling lymph, &c. The success above mentioned
continued up to the end of February, but from this date up to 31st March the success was
by no means so good, which was chiefly due to the respiratory diseases from which the calves
suffered after the end of February 1891, but also, apparently, to " lanoline " having been
mixed with the lymph in order to test this substance as a preservative of calf lymph, as