( 2 )
the disease in this way. In most of them, however, there is no absolute proof that the disease
actually originated from inoculation; and further, exact statistics of the mortality occasioned,
have not been systematically collected. For the purposes of this communication this is but
a remote drawback, as the evidence of the Medical men who report is full and conclusive. Not
only does inoculation, as at present conducted, not unfrequently originate small-pox epidemics,
but even when it falls short of such untoward results, it acts injuriously, in a manner apparent
to all, by disseminating the disease with rapidity in different directions.
While variolation may, under certain circumstances, thus diffuse small-pox, it must be
allowed that the converse is also true, viz., that inoculation may be conducted without small-
pox spreading as a necessary consequence. In the report of the Small-pox Commissioners
in 1850, numerous individuals bear evidence to the fact, that they have never seen any
instance of small-pox communicated by those who had received it by inoculation; all these
persons had, from their infancy, been living amongst those who were inoculated yearly,
and their negative evidence, though devoid of precision, has, so far as it goes, a distinct and
reliable value.
As the result of my own enquiries amongst those who must have had good opportu-
nities of witnessing such results, had they been frequent, I may state that very many not only
have never seen small-pox so propagated, but look on such an occurrence as rare. For
years I have been on the look out for such results, and though, as already stated, some
examples have been reported to me, it so happens, that out of a very considerable number of
children whom I have inspected, while undergoing inoculation, or soon afterwards, I have,
within my own personal experience, not a single instance to bring forward of small-pox
having been so communicated.
Legislators must provide for two very opposite
series of facts.
4. It will be evident from the perusal of the last two paragraphs, that in the event of
any fresh legislation occurring with regard to this
matter, two very opposite sets of facts bearing on
inoculation must be provided for. We have in evidence
that the practice can be conducted with slight risk to the individual, and little
danger to the community ; while it is proved also that as many as one in two lives may be
sacrificed in its performance; and further, that small-pox epidemics carrying death to hundreds
may be originated and increased in intensity by this practice.
Great importance of this question.
5. The question here involved is one of great magnitude. Perhaps no single consi-
deration bearing on the decrease of preventable
mortality in Bengal, is of greater public importance.
The proportion of inoculated persons to the general
population.
The exact extent to which variolation is prac-
tised in the Lower Provinces of the Presidency, is
for the present unknown. An attempt has been made to estimate this by counting the numbers
of inoculated persons in the Jails and among those frequenting public Dispensaries.
It will be seen from the following table that above 80 per cent. of the people examined
were protected from small-pox by inoculation. A fractionally small number only, had suffered
from natural small-pox:—
Exhibiting the Comparative Proportion of the Population protected by Vaccination and
Inoculation in different parts of Bengal, chiefly from Mr. Bedford's Pamphlet.
1
Year of
observa-
tion.
1848
1852
1848
1850
1850
1866-67
2
Name of observer.
Dr. Bedford ...
Ditto ...
Ditto ...
Dr. Wilson ...
Ditto ...
Ditto ...
Ditto ...
Ditto ...
Dr. Wise ...
Ditto ...
Dr. McLeod ...
3
Class under observation.
1. Prisoners in Chittagong Jail ...
2. Population of Rampore Bauleah ...
3. Patients at Chittagong Dispensary ...
4. Prisoners in Bauleah Jail ...
5. Chowkeydars in Bauleah ...
6. Coolies in ditto ...
7. School boys in ditto ...
8. Coolies in Suburbs of ditto ...
9. Prisoners in Dacca Jail ...
10. Patients in Insane Hospital ditto ...
11. Prisoners in Jessore Jail ...
Total ...
4
Number under
observation.
1,000
28,135
2,500
730
47
174
70
162
785
208
1,513
35,324
5
Number Inocu-
lated.
871
22,867
2,173
632
43
146
59
90
729
157
1,107
28,874
6
Rates per cent.
of inoculated to
population.
87.1
81.2
86.9
86.5
91.4
83.9
84.2
55.5
91.5
75.4
73.2
81.74
7
Number vacci-
nated.
2
1,813
34
1
0
8
2
67
0
0
28
1,955
8
Number unpro-
tected.
36
3,109
193
47
0
9
8
3
27
45
162
3,639
9
Number who
have had natural
small-pox
91
193
0
50
4
11
3
2
29
6
216
605