SONTHAL PERGUNNAHS.
37
Names of villages.
Dhanjoeree...
...
...
Burhait (Sonthalia)... ...
Telo...
...
...
...
Talbaria...
...
...
Kudma...
...
...
Khootana...
...
...
Uprole...
...
...
Buri ...
...
... ...
Total...
Number
inoculated.
131
326
2,426
240
345
300
3,080
2,715
9,563
Number
vaccinated.
450
400
301
430
440
270
321
423
3,035
Number
protected
by natural
small-pox
1
...
...
...
2
1
...
...
4
Number
unprotect-
ed.
...
...
25*
...
...
...
60†
170‡
255
Total popu-
lation.
582
726
2,752
670
787
571
3,461
8,308
12,857
REMARKS.
*Young infants were not
allowed to be vaccinated.
† The Khettaees did not take
vaccination.
‡ The Moyras as a class have
obstinate prejudices.
Thus among a population of 12,857 the number protected by inoculation is
9,563, or 74.3 per cent.; by vaccination 3,035, or 23.6 per cent. ; by natural
small-pox 4, or .03 per cent.; and the number unprotected is 255, or 1.9 per cent.
Difficulty in ob-
taining the in-
formation.
The number protected by inoculation is so much greater than that by
vaccination, because the former has been practised from time immemorial, so to
speak, whereas the latter has been introduced only within the last few years, and
in most villages has been practised only once for the first time. The number
left unprotected in three of the above villages is rather great owing to the reasons
stated in the column of remarks. As the circular above alluded to came very
late in the season, great difficulty was experienced in collecting the information
called for by it. The people, naturally sensitive and suspicious, would not in
any way be persuaded to show us the cases that have been protected by
natural small-pox or by inoculation. They would say—" We have allowed you
to vaccinate and that is enough, what have you to do with those that have been
inoculated or had small-pox? We are once being troubled with guntees
(alluding to the census which had then been recently taken), then vaccinated,
and again you come to trouble us with a more intricate sort of guntee.'' Some
villages which were prepared to receive vaccination were even thrown into
an attitude of resistance by our simply inquiring into the matter. No amount
of argument or persuasion would induce them to believe that it was for their
good that the inquiries were instituted. I therefore instructed my vaccinators
to proceed very cautiously in the matter, so as not in any way to rouse the feel-
ings of the people. They did so, and I have now to depend upon the statements
furnished by them in the preparation of the above table. It is to be hoped
that in future this difficulty will not be experienced, for the inquiry might be
safely conducted simultaneously with vaccination, when the people would gladly
submit to anything they might be asked to do ; but when once vaccination is
over they are apt to look with suspicion upon any inquiries of the kind mentioned.
Small-pox
Caused by inocu-
lation
8. At the commencement of the year, in the month of April 1871, it
was found out upon close inquiry that small-pox had appeared in three of the
principal villages in Rajmehal district, viz. Phoolbariah, which is two miles to
the south of the town; Guddagunge, which is two miles to the west; and Burhait,
which is about 24 miles to the south-west. In all these villages it was the
result of inoculation, and the people did not give us any information about it.
It was only by constant vigilance on our part that the fact could be discovered.
In the first mentioned village 10 or 12 cases had occurred, with 2 or 3 deaths.
10