( 4 )
Lymph.
14. The quality of the lymph furnished to operators in the Province has been a
constant object of complaint during previous years, and
different opinions have been given regarding the supply
received in 1884-85. The quantity of English lymph in tubes received from the
Sanitary Commissioner was only half the amount which had been indented for, and
Civil Surgeons received further supplies from Bengal, the North-West Provinces,
and Bombay. The lymph was in most cases good; the supply received from Bengal
failed in Lakhimpur, but in other districts it proved successful. The different systems at
work in the neighbouring districts of Gáro Hills and Goálpára are noted in the report,
vaccination being carried on in the former district by lymph in tubes and arm-to-arm
vaccination, while in Goálpára the inhabitants object to arm-to-arm vaccination, and
crusts are chiefly used in the operations.
Compulsory vaccination.
15. The Compulsory Vaccination Act V. (B C.) of 1880 was in force in the areas
mentioned below, and the accompanying table gives the
available information regarding the work done in them during
1884-85, as compared with the two previous years:—
Municipality or cantonment.
Gauháti Municipality ....................................
Dhubri „ ......................................
Sylhet „ ...................................
Dibrugarh Cantonment ....................
Total .........................
Population.
11,695
5,417
14.407
1,736
33,255
Number of
children on
the regis-
ter since
the Act has
been in
force.
1,549
182
2,652
65
4,448
Number of vaccinations.
1882-83.
386
....
....
3S6
1883-84.
236
.... 17
253
1884-85.
930
459
2,333*
47
8,769
Successful.
1882-83.
836
336
1883-84.
209
209
1884 85.
751
418
43
1,212
* From 1st October 1882.
Twenty-nine prosecutions under the Act were undertaken during the year, and
punishments were inflicted in 25 cases. There was no prosecution in Sylhet, and it
is satisfactory to learn from the Civil Surgeon that the children of the station are almost
completely protected. With reference to his remarks about the non-enforcement of
the Act in Sylhet, it may be noticed that in Section 16 of the Chief Commissioner's
Resolution on the Vaccination Report for 1883-84 the position of the Civil Surgeon
was defined, the Superintendent of vaccination being placed directly under his orders;
the working of the Act within a municipality is accordingly to a large extent dependent
on the action which he takes in enforcing its provisions.
District returns.
16. The following paragraphs summarise briefly the most
important features of vaccination work in each district of
the Province.
In Goálpára, the working staff was reduced from 24 to 20, and the increased number
of operations (16,691, against 14,477) is chiefly due to the care bestowed on the subject
by Dr. Dobson. The work of inspection in this district appears to have been especially
thorough and comprehensive. The Civil Surgeon inspected 5,930, or 35 per cent. of the
operations, finding 93.18 per cent. successful, and the native inspector examined 4,815,
and reported 95.72 as successful.
In Kámrúp, the total number of operations rose from 8,788 to 9,872. The Civil Surgeon
inspected 1,508 cases, and reports 90.24 per cent. successful, while the native inspector saw
3,940 cases, with an average of 83.60 per cent. successful. The difference between these
proportions seems to indicate that only the best cases are shown to the Civil Surgeon, a
practice which should not be allowed to continue. The orders given last year for reducing
the number of ex-inoculators, and bringing them under regular supervision, seem to have
been carried out: the 18 men now employed worked up to an average of 254 operations
each, against an average of 155 operations for the 35 men at work in 1883-84.
The work done in Nowgong was very satisfactory. Four Local Board vaccinators
were added, and the number of operations increased from 2,983 to 10,879. The Assistant-
Surgeon, who was in medical charge of the district during a large portion of the season,
inspected 1,928 cases, finding 84 per cent. successful, and the Native Superintendent
examined 4,001 cases, of which 3,126, or 78 per cent., were considered to be successful.
On these percentages the same remark may be made as in Kámrúp.
Work in Darrang increased from 5,194 to 9,012 cases, but only 1,168 of these were
inspected. The district wants a Native Superintendent. The increase in operations was
due to the five new local board vaccinators, and is very satisfactory and creditable to Dr.
Campbell.
Sibságar shows an increase from 3,606 to 4,971 cases, but has not yet reached its
figure of 1881-82, 5,391 cases. There were three new local board vaccinators, and
greater progress ougut to have been made. The average per head in this district for