CALCUTTA AND THE SUBURBS.
xix
Attitude of the population towards vaccination.
20. As a rule, the people have shown themselves very backward in appreciating the bene-
fits to be derived from vaccination, and have required
that much time and trouble should be expended
before they consented to allow of vaccination being performed. Quite independent of any
dislike or distrust of vaccination, an indefinite fear of some ulterior object of Government
very frequently showed itself. At one time they fancied that protection from small-pox was
only a bait thrown out to induce them to allow the vaccinators to mark them with the view
of identifying them in some way when a capitation tax was to be levied. Stories, even more
childish and incredible, were in frequent circulation among them, all bearing a surprising
similarity to fables recorded as being current in other parts of India.
Very frequently the impression was conveyed to my mind, even when it was not ex-
pressed in words, that the people knew that a benefit was being conferred on them, but
that at the same time they individually would have been glad, if they had not been
brought by circumstances into participating in the benefit. In numerous villages various
spokesmen spontaneously declared themselves grateful for what was being done, and in some
instances I cannot doubt their sincerity in doing so ; while in others I regarded the words
as merely those of empty compliment, and as far from representing the true feeling of the
people. Very often a sort of enthusiasm was noticed during my inspections, the older
children rushing about and commenting loudly on the large numbers of vaccinations which
they had witnessed, and looking on the whole proceeding as a sort of festival.
The vaccinations in the south of the 24-Pergunnahs were effected without any marked
opposition ; while the people knew nothing of vaccination and would rather not have been
vaccinated, they still listened to what was said and ultimately they were talked over into
coming forward in large numbers. In some of the larger villages as many as 500 would come
forward in one morning to be operated on. To procure this of course the gang of vacci-
nators required to have been persuading them for some days, and the personal efforts of
the Superintendent himself, were often required before any progress could be made.
Instances of such large numbers coming forward were only met with in the south of the
24-Pergunnahs, and are mentioned as an example of how at times progress was made at an
exceptionally rapid rate. Nothing approaching to this was met with elsewhere, and in many
cases a painfully slow advance was made, person by person requiring to be talked over one
by one.
Vaccination of the Nuddea Pundits.
21. As narrated in a previous paragraph, vaccination was this year established in Nuddea.
Considering the high estimation in which Nuddea is
everywhere held in Lower Bengal as the chief seat
of all theological learning, the position this year gained in inducing the Pundits to accept
vaccination is one which constitutes quite an era in the progress of vaccination in India. In
this classical repository of ancient learning, the Pundits who give their own interpretation to
all questions bearing directly or indirectly on Hinduism, exercise a widely spread influence
on the whole of the surrounding country. Vaccination, though not in itself a religious act, of
constituting a breach of religious observance, is yet, from both these points of view, very inti-
mately associated in the mind of the Hindu with religion.
Being able to point to the Nuddea Pundits as having accepted vaccination, will to a
material degree make it for the future more easy for hesitating members of the Hindu commu-
nity to allow themselves to be protected by it. This vaccination of the Nuddea Pundits has
been effected at a most opportune moment, as next season two of the metropolitan circles of
vaccination will have the duty assigned to them of protecting the country which lies between
Kishnaghur and Calcutta. Advantage will be taken by means of printed circulars to make
it very generally known that the Nuddea Pundits regard vaccination favorably, and have
allowed it to be introduced into their families.
Acknowledgments are due to Mr. Tweedie, Joint Magistrate of Nuddea, for having led
the way to this important result. While in the district, he took advantage of being in the
neighbourhood, to try and interest several of the older and more influential of the Pundits
in the cause of vaccination. He so far succeeded in doing so, that he believed that if he only
had the opportunity he could induce some of them to allow their families to be vaccinated.
On his communicating with me on the subject, I judged the occasion such an important one
that it should not be suffered to slip away. Though the vaccinating season was just coming
to an end, and the energies of every vaccinator were being strained to finish work already on
hand, after consultation with Baboo Buddynath Brummo, he was deputed to take some of his
vaccinators and make such use of the opportunity as he was able.