vi
REPORT.
These proposals led to no immediate result, and the subject was allowed to drop till it
was again brought up for further inquiry in the 11th paragraph of a resolution on the
vaccine proceedings of the year 1868-69, dated 7th January 1870. This elicited a long
report from Dr. Charles, which was submitted with a letter from this office (No. 336, dated
30th June 1870). In this report Dr. Charles propounded a scheme, one feature of which
was, that a charge of two annas for each successful vaccination should be established, and
levied by a separate agency on occasion of the third vaccination of a circle that had
been thoroughly vaccinated twice by Government agency. Existing circles were to have
extra vaccinators attached to them for the working season, so that new circles might be
thrown off to occupy a fresh area yearly. Thus the rendering of vaccination self-supporting
in old circles, and the extension of vaccination would go on apace. The Deputy Inspector-
General of Hospitals, in forwarding this report, was of opinion that rendering vaccination
compulsory was a necessary prelude to exacting payment for it. The Government (letter 2653,
dated 6th August 1870) considered Dr. Charles' scheme of too radical a nature to take
serious action in without further consideration, and could not entertain the proposal to
make vaccination compulsory. Subsequent correspondence on this subject led to the expres-
sion of a strong opinion by Surgeon F. Powell, Superintendent of the Metropolitan Circle,
that levying a charge for vaccination until the area of these circles had been completely
vaccinated twice would affect the progress and success of vaccination. He did not object
to partial and tentative measures when vaccination was, for instance, requested for a village not
lying within the season's scheme. Surgeon Powell states that with his present staff he can
only visit any locality in the circle every third or fourth year. The Commissioner of Police
expressed an opinion " that it was quite impossible to get the people to pay for their vaccination
under the present voluntarily system" The issue of this correspondence is, that the question
of organizing a general scheme of vaccination on a basis of gradually increasing self-support
must remain in abeyance for the present, and until a firmer basis of action has been obtained
and vaccination has become a more familiar and generally desired operation.
28. Ascertaining the number of inoculators in eachdi strict, and registering their names.—
This duty has been assigned to district officers, and as the resolution directing it appeared
late in the year, and the results were to be entered in this annual report, the information
will probably be available for next year's general report.
29. Permitting inoculators to practise vaccination after having been instructed by the
Superintendent of Vaccination or Civil Surgeon.—Very many inoculators have been already
taught vaccination, and are now employed on the vaccine establishments. The additional
element of permitting them to practise is a most important one. The order of Government
did not reach executive officers till the vaccinating season was well advanced, and little has
been done towards realizing this instruction. Some reports and communications have
however been received on the subject. The most important of these refers to the Chotâ
Nagpore division. In the 9th paragraph of the resolution on the report of 1869-70, I was
instructed to consult the Commissioner of that division as to whether a system of licensed
vaccination might not be introduced.
Colonel Dalton replied to the effect that no difficulty or opposition need be anticipated
on the part of inoculators or people, and that in one district (Singbhoom) the system had
been introduced under the supervision of the Civil Surgeon. In forwarding this communica-
tion I placed on record a strong opinion that—
I.—The men should, when registered and licensed, be assigned definite areas of
operation.
II.—That their operations should be closely supervised.
III.—That such supervision should be conducted by the district surgeons and
authorities, and by the Superintendent of Vaccination.