9
Protective power.
11. Opinions were asked by this office from all the Civil Surgeons of Assam, who responded to the
call. The Civil Surgeons of Gauháti, Nowgong, Cachar, Nága Hills,
Darrang, and Sylhet have reported that in their opinion the calf
lymph has probably the same protective power as human lymph. The Civil Surgeon of Lakhimpur
is of opinion that a sufficient time has not elapsed since the introduction of calf lymph in this
Province to enable him to judge of the protective power of animal lymph. The Civil Surgeon of
Tura is not ready to pass any opinion of the protective power in the absence of any epidemic of small-
pox. Personally I am of opinion that the calf lymph has the same protective power as human
lymph, but this can only be made certain during an epidemic of small-pox.
12. With reference to a telegram from this office an interesting letter is received from the
Civil Surgeon of Gauháti which is reproduced here in eostenso :—
From—The Civil Surgeon of Gauháti,
To—The Civil Surgeon, Shillong.
With reference to your telegram of yesterday's date received to-day, concerning an epidemic of small-pox in
a village in my district and its suppression by free vaccination with calf lymph, I have the honour to forward the
following notes. The name of the village is Garigaon, and distant from the station 7 or 8 miles. This is a large
populous village of a straggling nature, being 1½ mile in length, but of little breadth. About the 15th January 1891
several men with a mandal came to my bungalow, and reported small-pox was prevailing in Garigaon and that
vaccination was useless, as it attacked those who had been vaccinated. I went to Garigaon on 17th along with a
vaccinator and the native Superintendent of Vaccination, and found his report was true, so far that small-pox was
prevalent, but that, with the exception of some Mahamedans, none of the villagers were vaccinated. I saw five cases
of small-pox, and was informed there had been four or five deaths. I vaccinated a few, 14, but the Hindus objected,
though they said they would have no objection if I sent a Ganak, ex-inoculator, of their religion. I sent for this
man, and took the Inspector of Police with me and returned on 19th. I informed the gaonburas and mandals every
one who had no marks of vaccination, inoculation, or small-pox, must be vaccinated whether they liked it or not.
This was done in the next two days and altogether about 250 vaccinations were performed. One child aged 1
year developed small-pox three days after vaccination. It recovered. There were no more cases of small-pox
reported afterwards. All these cases of small-pox were vaccinated with animal lymph mixed with glycerine
received direct from the depôt in Shillong. I myself inspected about 200 cases, and only found 7 unsuccessful,
which were done a second time and were then successful.
The vesicles were good and the areola also good. The local and general signs and symptoms of vaccination were
perfect, and I can only say that better lymph I never used. Small-pox also broke out at the Government plantation
at the Kulsi, and was reported to me by a forest officer. I went out with a vaccinator and the forest officer on the
30th January, and there vaccinated about 250, of which 9 were unsuccessful. The results here were as satisfactory as
at Garigaon, and small-pox was stopped.
The points to be noted are—
(1) Curative of small-pox with the entire vaccination of villages.
(2) The good condition of the lymph.
(3) The few unsuccessful cases, all of which were successful the second time.
(4) The objection of the Hindus to vaccination, but that with compulsion they offered no objection.
From this I believe that no objections would be made if it was given out generally that it was the Sarkar's
hukum.
This report leaves no room for doubt as to the preventive power of this lymph against small-pox,
and it must consequently be regarded as at least as good as human lymph.
The Civil Surgeon of Sibságar reported that he could not give any decided opinion " unless its
effects are watched for a few years," he further remarked that " the vesicles were more perfect, and that
the inflammation and other constitutional disturbances were less severe than in the case of humanized
lymph."
Lanoline lymph.
13. All the Civil Surgeons of Assam were supplied with lanoline lymph from this depôt. Three
different strengths of lymph, i.e., 1 to 4½, 1 to 6½, and 1 to 10 were
prepared and supplied with necessary instructions as to the points
to be observed. The length of time the lymph keeps well, the percentage of successful cases, and a
record of temperature during the time the lymph is kept were the informations asked for. The lymph
was forwarded twice, first in accordance with page 27, paragraph 1, line 2 of Dr. King's pamphlet, in
little wooden boxes rolled up in cotton wool, and second in one-dram phials well corked and sealed.
The lymph was prepared and despatched in the same way as Dr. King of Madras did. A statement
showing the reported result obtained from the above lymph by the various Civil Surgeons of Assam
is attached herewith, from which it apppears that the lymph is almost a total failure. Lanoline was
obtained from a Calcutta firm, consequently the failure may be attributed to the impure lanoline,
as Dr. King remarked in his pamphlet, page 25, paragraph 1.
I am of opinion that lanoline lymph is not suitable for use in this Province, first because it is not so
effective, second because it is more troublesome to prepare, and third because it cannot be stored in
capillary tubes. This makes it hard to preserve, and very difficult to distribute in small quantity to the
local vaccinators.
Statement No. 1, showing deaths of calves during the year 1890-91.
Month.
September 1890 ... ...
October
„ ... ...
November „ ... ...
December „ ... ...
January 1891 ... ...
February
„ ... ...
March
„ ... ...
Total ... ...
Unprotected.
1
1
5
6
13
13
7
46
Protected.
In
stall.
...
1
2
16
11
6
4
40
After
taking
lymph.
...
6
3
7
35
44
6
101
Total.
1
8
10
29
59
63
17
187
c