20
REPORT ON VACCINATION IN ASSAM.
Statistics of the year.
Low rates of successes.
125. The number of operations recorded was 5,073, of which 3,926 were successful.
This is a ratio of 77 per cent., and is undoubtedly a low
proportion. In 1882-83 the figures given were 4,688, 4,266,
and 90 per cent. respectively. The reason assigned for so small a ratio is that the
lymph in tubes as first supplied failed generally, not only when used by the Govern-
ment operators, but also in the hands of the medical men
and private practitioners on the tea-gardens. It was only
with crusts received later that good lymph was established.
Results of' a special examination as to
protection enjoyed by civil population.
126. Dr. Monteath gives a table showing the protection variously afforded among
three classes of the population who were examined, viz.,
prisoners, dispensary patients, and school-boys. It is given
below:—
Class of persons examined.
Prisoners .................
Dispensary patients ........
School-boys .................
Total
Number
examined.
92
150
292
534
Inoculated.
69
48
201
318
Percentage of
total examined.
75.00
32.00
68.83
59.55
Vaccinated.
7
58
61
126
Percentage of
total examined.
7.60
38.66
20.89
23.59
Had small-
pox.
16
17
13
46
Percentage of
total examined.
17.39
11.33
4.45
8.61
Unprotected.
......
27
17
44
Percentage of
total examined.
......
18.00
5.82
8.24
Among prisoners 75.0 per cent. were protected by inoculation, 17 3 per cent. by
small-pox, and 7.6 per cent. by vaccination. Among the dispensary patients 32.0 per
cent. by inoculation, 38.6 by vaccination, 11.3 by small-pox, and 18.0 per cent. were
unprotected. Among school-boys the figures were 68.8 per cent. inoculated, 20.9 per
cent. vaccinated, 4.4 per cent. has had small-pox, and 5.8 unprotected. It is to be
regretted the total number of each class examined was so few.
Vaccination of tea-gardens in Cachar.
127. There are 188 tea-gardens in Cachar, and in many of them vaccination is
diligently pursued by the medical men and subordinates in
charge. Returns, however, were received from 99 only, and
of these many were forwarded so incomplete that it is difficult to make any use of the
statistics. The Civil Surgeon states that 2,798 persons were vaccinated on tea-gardens by
Government operators, of which 2,107 were successful. In Statement IV of the report
the coolie population on the gardens, in which vaccination was done by the garden agents
or medical officers, is lumped together at 40,223; the operations in gross are stated to have
been 6,964, and the successes 3,170 only, or 45.5 per cent. No explanation is given other
than bad lymph at starting.
Inoculation widely used.
128. Inoculation is supposed to be widely practised, but no definite information was
available. The people have greater confidence in its protec-
tive value, and, moreover, it has the sanction of a very old
custom. Small-pox was generally prevalent in the district throughout the year. The
Deputy-Commissioner remarks that in the calendar year 1883, 1,023 deaths from small-
pox were registered, being a percentage of 14.6 on the total mortality, while cholera
furnished only 4.5 of the mortality.
Lymph supply at first very inferior.
129. The lymph supply was obtained from the Sanitary Commissioners, North-
Western Provinces and Bengal, and also eight tubes of English
from the Sanitary Commissioner of Assam. The first sup-
plies were all bad, and complaints came alike from Government operators and from the
private medical practitioners on numerous tea-gardens to whom it had been supplied.
Expenditure.
130. Rs. 382 was expended in salaries, and Rs. 93 in travelling allowance, and the
average cost of each successful operation was 1 anna 8 pies
only. It would seem from the report that the vaccinators
were moved about too much under the impulse of small-pox rumours around. The
Deputy-Commissioner notes that Rs. 180 has for the first time been entered for vaccina-
tion in the budget of the Local Board for 1884-85. Such a sum is not sufficient either
for general work or efficient inspection. There should be at least ten vaccinators and a
Superintendent on the establishment of this large district.
General remarks.
131. Dr. Monteath vaccinated in 110 cases and inspected 418 only. The dispen-
sary vaccinators averaged nearly 1,500 cases, which, perhaps,
accounts for the low average, 77, of successes. The failing
in this district is a want of more searching inspection and preliminary training of the
vaccinators.
A. ETESON, M.D.,
Deputy-Surgeon- General, Eastern Frontier District,
and Sanitary Commissioner, Assam.