OF THE PROVINCE OF ASSAM.
9
from successful cases in the station. There were three ex-inoculators who worked, and
reported having performed 305 operations. But their work was not inspected.
Two or three severe outbreaks of small-pox have prevailed during the year in
the district, one especially in the north-east quarter, where Mr. McNaught, a Hospital-
Assistant, and two vaccinators proceeded, and rendered during the epidemic every
possible service.
There were four vaccinators employed for eight months in this district, and the
Deputy-Commissioner and Medical Officer appear to be of opinion that with a stronger staff
of vaccinators the Gáros would be brought to adopt vaccination entirely, and the scourges
of small-pox might be diminished, if not in due course stamped out altogether. One fact
appears clear, that the greater the success of vaccination and the more the system is
encouraged, the readier the people are to adopt it and to discountenance inoculation.
DHUBRI.
18. Goálpára District.—Two vaccinators and 14 ex-inoculators were employed in
the Goálpára district during the present vaccinating season, against one vaccinator and 9
ex-inoculators of the last season.
The total number of persons vaccinated throughout the district was 5,890,
against 2,479 of the previous season, showing an increase by 3,411 operations. Of 5,890
total operations, 5,829 were primary vaccinations, and 61 re-vaccinations: of the former
4,839, or 83.02 per cent. were successful, and of the latter all were successful.
The Civil Surgeon performed 56 primary vaccinations, and of these 50 were
successful. The three Hospital-Assistants of Dhubri, Goálpára, and Lakhipur vaccinated
103 persons, of these 98 were successful. One vaccinator confined his operations almost
entirely to the villages along the left bank of the Brahmaputra, which were thoroughly
vaccinated. The second had to be employed for the greater part of the season in the
immigration depôts at Dhubri. The two vaccinators vaccinated 1,030 persons, of whom
882 or 85.63 per cent., were successful. The 14 ex-inoculators performed 4,640 primary
vaccinations; of these 3,809. or 82.09 per cent., were successful.
All vaccinations in the emigration depôts were performed under the immediate
supervision of the Civil Surgeon. He inspected 98 vaccinations in different parts of the
district, of which 87; or 88.77 per cent., were found successful.
Small-pox was very prevalent during the year in some villages lying at the base
of the Gáro Hills. A vaccinator was sent there, who vaccinated all the healthy portion of
the population.
The lymph supplied by the Sanitary Commissioner for Bengal was found best of all.
A good supply was also obtained from the Sanitary Commissioner of the North¬
Western Provinces.
GAUHATI.
19. Kámrúp District.—There were three vaccinators and 76 ex-inoculators employed
during the past season. Two of the vaccinators were employed in the district and one
in the municipality.
The Civil Surgeon performed a total of 27 operations; the three Hospital-
Assistants who worked chiefly in the town performed 117 operations, and of these 114 were
successful. The total number of persons vaccinated by the three vaccinators was 1,337,
and of these 1,292 were successful. Of the foregoing work by dispensary agency alone
there were 1,418 primary vaccinations, of which 1,374 were successful; re-vaccinations 63,
of which 54 were successful. It is reported that the 76 ex-inoculators vaccinated 10,485
persons, and of these 10,262 were successful, thus making a total of 11,966 vaccinations
in the district, of which 11,690 were reported successful,
The vaccinators worked in the town and in the villages within ten miles of the
town, and the whole area, especially the town and the villages along the Grand Trunk
Road, was worked with a very fair amount of thoroughness. There appears to have been
no objection raised by the people, and the superstitious dread among them of vaccination
is, it is stated, diminishing. The work of the 76 ex-inoculators was carried on chiefly in
remote parts of the districts and, except in a few instances, it was not inspected. They
work about in areas near their own homes, and take small fees for each operation.
The lymph from Bengal was a failure, but that supplied from Almorah was
excellent, so also that imported from England and supplied by the Sanitary Commis-
sioner, Assam.
It appears to me that the vaccinating staff in this district might be with great
advantage increased and carried on under the proper supervision of a native superintend-
ent or head vaccinator. The uncontrolled and unsupervised work of the ex-inoculators
is most unsatisfactory, and the excessive numbers employed in the district appear quite
unnecessary.