18
REPORT ON VACCINATION IN ASSAM.
receive Rs. 81, instead of Rs. 72, and the difference might tempt him to remain. Of
course, the reduction 25 per cent. would be proportionate to higher or lower rates elsewhere.
Proposal to require a previous term of vac¬
cination from all medical pupils.
Statistics.
99. I think less favourably of another suggestion, viz., that all medical students
should, on matriculation, give a certificate of qualification in
vaccination by six months' district training. District work
requires old and well-known hands, men who have acquired influence, not raw lads,
whose zeal would be sure to outrun discretion and bring odium on the system. The
work of the season in Lakhimpur shows a good advance on
last year's statistics. Altogether, there were 6,475 primary
vaccinations and 5,637, or 87.05, successful. Very little of this has been on the frontier
from difficulty of access and inspection. In North Lakhimpur there were only 1,396
operations and 1,150 successful. Hospital-Assistant Karim Ali must be informed that
much more will be expected next year. There is a Provincial and a local vaccinator to
assist him; and a much higher average is expected.
Opposition met with.
100. Dhol Govind and his son Gopi Nath Dás, the ex-inoculators, were very useful
in overcoming prejudices in several villages where vaccina-
tion has previously been stubbornly refused. It was
described by them as only English inoculation. In one instance, Gopi Nath vaccinated
200 children in a village where not one had been allowed previously. The Nágas
continue obstinately to refuse, notwithstanding generous offers of rum, old hats and coats.
They allege the general belief that it will cause small-pox, being no doubt unable to
distinguish between vaccination and inoculation. It is also likely that they fear
illness, restraint, and separation; as they can only be operated upon during their annual
subsequent visits to Dibrugarh for trade.
Working staff.
101. The staff in Lakhimpur consisted of the Civil Surgeon, one Hospital-Assistant,
four provincial, one municipal, and three local vaccinators.
Dr. Whitwell is, as last year, conspicuously in advance,
with 1,415 primary and 145 secondary vaccinations. Of the former, 86.99 per cent.,
and of the latter, 72.41 per cent. were successful. Three provincial and two local
vaccinators near Dibrugarh had averages over 650 each; and one of each class at North
Lakhimpur nearly 550 each. As usual, the municipal vaccinator showed the lowest
amount of work, with only 261 cases.
Small-pox not prevalent.
102. Last year small-pox was nowhere very prevalent in the district. In the
compulsory area in Dibrugarh itself seven deaths were
registered, and 69 in the whole district. But at intervals
the ravages of the disease among the wild tribes of the frontier are terribly severe.
Lymph supply as first received was a
failure.
103. Dr. Whitwell found all his first supplies of lymph, alike from Shillong,
Darjeeling, and Calcutta, failures; he is unable to explain
this. Probably he began too early in the season. He lost
three weeks and 800 cases by this delay. Subsequent-regular supplies from the Sanitary
Commissioners of Bengal and Darjeeling were very good. He began work with lymph
personally collected from the Gurkha sepoys and children in cantonments. He made
several efforts to cultivate and collect bovine lymph, unsuccessfully.
Expenditure is much above the average
104. The detail of the cost of the operations, given in Table V., shows the average
for this district is higher than in any other except the
Khási Hills, viz., 4 annas 3¾ pies. This is due partly to
the high rate of wages, Rs. 15 monthly, of the vaccinators, partly to considerable
travelling allowances, Rs. 308, and partly to the low average of operations. The total
expenses amounted to Rs. 1,122, of which Rs. 597 was charged to provincial, Rs. 426
to local, and Rs. 99 to municipal revenue.
Inspection.
105. 2,604, or 39.28 per cent., of the total vaccinations were inspected, and 2,124,
or 81.57 per cent., found successful. This proportion is
much more reliable than that given for Sylhet; but it is
also evident that the medical officers hold very different views as to what constitutes a
success. I wholly support Dr. Whitwell that the essential value of an inspection is to
elicit its protective value against small-pox.
Compulsory vaccination.
106. The report adds a paragraph on the working of the Vaccination Act in the
compulsory area of Dibrugarh in accordance with Chief
Commissioner's Resolution, paragraph 17 of the Report for
1883-84. It is stated only 182 children have been placed on the register since September
1883, when the Act came into force. As the population of Dibrugarh is 7,153, there
must have been great laxity here. It would appear also that most of the work has
been done among immigrant families. The municipal vaccinator performed 261,
with 243 successes, and Dr. Whitwell not quite 200 with 175 successes. The latter were
chiefly among the Dooms, who allowed the Civil Surgeon to vaccinate their children, but