2
CALCUTTA AND ITS SUBURBS.
In the town,
In the suburbs
In the town exclusive of cases of re-vaccination, and cases in which the result was not
known, 5,011 vaccinations were performed, shewing an increase of 603 vaccinations over last
year when 4,408 vaccinations were reported. The vaccinations performed by the vaccinators
of the suburban municipality amounted to 7,728 against 6,796 during the previous season,
the increase being 932. As 171 of these lay without the boundary of the suburbs, they
may be excluded from an exact calculation.
Character and suc-
cess of the vacci¬
nation.
4. Character and success of the vaccination.—Throughout
the past twelve months, the
quality of the virus has been kept up in a state of unimpaired efficiency. The most pains-
taking endeavours have been made to ensure this result, and the steadily-maintained high
character of the vaccinations has fully justified the expenditure of care bestowed in achieving
this end. My views on the importance of this point have already been placed before the
Government, and as each year adds another illustration of what can be done in this direction
with suitable arrangements, the fact which I have been for many years attempting to esta-
blish, will gradually come to be recognised as true.
During the past season, out of 5,011 cases exclusive of re-vaccinated persons, and of those
in which the result was not ascertained, 4,971 were successfully vaccinated. This shows
a ratio of success of 99 20 per cent. for vaccinations done in Calcutta; the similar ratio for
last year was 99.61. A similar calculation for the suburbs gives a ratio of success of 99.72
against 99.64 in the season of 1871-72. During last year, among the permanent residents
in the suburbs, 7,707 were successfully vaccinated among 7,728 persons in whom the result
was known, re-vaccination cases being also excluded from the calculation. The fact, that
out of a hundred instances in which vaccination is attempted, it succeeds in ninety-nine
times, is highly gratifying. In those parts of the town and suburbs where those vaccinated
can be made to furnish virus for others, the ratio of success is simply cent. per cent., every
person vaccinated taking the disease on the first attempt. Where there is a difficulty in
getting virus to carry on operations, the case is different, and occasional failures are met
with. With such a uniform rate of success, there is not much ground for complaint, but
with a little laxity, failures would again become as plentiful as they once were.
Small-pox
5. Small-pox in Calcutta during the year.—Only Nineteen deaths from small-pox
during the year have been registered, and I have no reason for believing that the mortality
from this disease has been greater within the period extending between the 1st April 1872
and 31st March 1873.
We have been able to trace importations of the disease from Bhaugulpore, Cuttack,
Mymensing, and Raneegunge.
Progress of vaccina-
tion
6. Progress of vaccination during the year.—In last year's annual report, seven danger-
ous localities were noticed in which vaccination was carried on under such difficulties, that
either very few of the population were protected, or the vaccinator could not get any
to submit to be operated on at all.
In one of the places laid down as dangerous in the map, shewing the state of protection
of the town and suburbs, all difficulty has now been overcome, while in another, such pro-
gress has been made that it is hoped that no serious obstacle will again arise; in a third,
a very satisfactory beginning has been made, which will, doubtless, lead to a very general
adoption of the prophylactic.
Difficulties over-
come
Immense difficulties have, during the the last few years, had to be overcome in getting
the people to submit to vaccination. I have never dwelt on the difficulties themselves, and
have always tried to teach the establishments that, were vaccination an easy matter, no
such elaborate arrangements would have been made to introduce it. The work has practi-
cally now been overtaken, and it is right that Government should know that the task has
not been an easy one. I, therefore, have thought it right in one of these annual reports to
enter more into detail with regard to the contest that has been carried on during the past
several years. In the bare narration of facts which have this year taken place, I am sure
there is enough to convince the most sceptical that it is as difficult to vaccinate in Calcutta
as in the most backward district in India, and if we are ahead of every other town in
respect to vaccine protection, the result has not been easily arrived at.
The Kansaries
The first instance above alluded to is in Kansariparah. This part of the town is
inhabited by a strong body of workers in brass. They are all ultra-orthodox Hindoos and
tenacious of their old customs with intense bigotry. The fact of my having been unable
to influence them, has been more than once brought forward. Every means has been
exhausted, but all to no purpose. In the beginning of 1865 I went down so often among
them that my carriage was known, and the moment it came in sight, the alarm was given
and every door was at once barricaded; the only way in which I was able to force an inter-