10
REPORT ON VACCINATION IN ASSAM.
my part the Sanitary Commissioner of Bengal has favoured me with a note on the way
vaccination is carried on in that province. From this, it appears a very large proportion
of the vaccinators receive pay during the recess, varying in amount from 50 to 75 per
cent. of their working salary. The statement covers the districts of Darjeeling, Eastern
Bengal, Behar, Sonthal Parganas, Orissa, and Ranchi. In Eastern Bengal, which offers
the nearest example to Assam, there are 67 men who are paid for both terms, compared
with 32 temporary vaccinatiors and 24 apprentices who are paid only for the season.
In Behar 61 and in Orissa 31 men are paid all through the year, and none are employed
temporarily. In Sonthalisthan there are 21 permanent and 24 temporary; in Ranchi 21
permanent and 19 temporary. In Darjeeling there are six permanent hands, and the rest
is entrusted to licensed vaccinators.
Proposed re-organization in Assam.
37. I recommend that a beginning should be made in this direction, and that
sanction be accorded to half the provincial vaccinators in
each district of Assam being graded as permanent, with two-
thirds of their salary continued during the recess.
It behoves the Government to set an example to local self-government, and to
increase the budget expenditure with increased results.
38. The reduced supply of 100 tubes of English lymph, instead of 200 required
by indent, has been a serious inconvenience to the early development of vaccination last
season.
GOÁLPÁRA.
39. This important district, second only to Sylhet in the amount of work done, has
remained throughout the season under the careful superintendence of Surgeon Dobson.
Reduced working staff.
40. The working staff was reduced from 24 in 1883-84 to 20 in 1884-85, owing to
the Assistant-Surgeon not taking any share, to one Hospital-
Assistant, one unpaid vaccinator, and one provincial vacci-
nator, less this season.
Important increase of the season;
41. The results are most encouraging. In 1882-83 the total reached 6,922, in
1883-84 14,474, in 1884-85 16,691. Of the latter figures
15,982, or 95.75 per cent, are reported to have been successful.
There was no re-vaccination. The Civil Surgeon operated 23 times, with 82.60 per cent
successful; the native superintendent 589 and 95.07; the provincial vaccinator 922 and
97.72; the municipal vaccinator 923 and 95.44; the 5 Local Fund vaccinators averaged
688 and 99.91; 3 Hospital-Assistants averaged 26 and 80.77; 8 unpaid vaccinators
averaged 1,339 and 94.44.
and inspection very searching and compre-
hensive
42. These statistics are gratifying, because the inspection was more thorough and
complete than in any other district. Dr. Dobson inspected
5,930 cases, and reports 93.18 per cent. of them to have been
successful, while the native inspector saw 4,815, and reports 95.72 per cent., to be
good. Everything, however, still depends on the standard of " a success. " The report
seems to accept as sufficient that the vaccine has " taken," and to count successful
those who have broken pustules and even sores.
Genuine protection essential to success.
42a. It cannot be too often or too strongly insisted upon that the standard of a successful
operation is its protective efficiency, and that a vaccination
which has not proceeded through a maturated pustule to a
depressed foveated scar or scars covering an area the size of a four-anna piece is not held
to be adequately protective. In this sense, I look with suspicion on all ratios claiming
over 80 per cent. of success.
No tea-gardens nor compulsory area
43. There are no tea-gardens of any extent in Goálpára and no vaccination
reported; neither is any part of the district under the
Compulsory Vaccination Act.
Attitude of the people not favourable.
44. The people, as a rule, do not care for vaccination anywhere. The Deputy-
Commissioner in forwarding the report states it is as
unpopular as ever; and that without the aid of the police the
operators would have no work. But there must, as Dr. Dobson writes, be some degrees
of willingness; otherwise the resistance which, notwithstanding the police, is complete in
and about Goálpára town would be general. Probably, a great deal of vaccination is
now accepted " faute de mieux; " inoculators are getting scarce; they find themselves
harassed, their work stopped, their occupation maligned, and the people take to vaccina-
tion, not because it is preferred, but because they are getting nothing else. During
this season Dr. Dobson found an inoculator working with a license given him by the old
pensioned Hospital-Assistant of Goálpára, and he had already promoted 34 cases of small-