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From
J. BENNETT, ESQ., M. D.,
Officiating Superintendent of Vaccination, Punjab.
To
ISAAC NEWTON, ESQ., M. D.,
Officiating Superintendent General of Vaccination, Punjab.
SIR,
I have the honor to submit a Report on the Vaccine Operations per-
formed by the Establishment under my charge, during the past five
months of the season 1870-71.
Took over charge.
2. I took over charge of the Establishment at Rawul Pindee on the
13th October 1870, and immediately afterwards proceeded to Lahore, where
arrangements had been made by Dr. Garden for the work of the Superin-
tendent to commence.
Establishment.
3. The establishment under my supervision consisted of the follow-
ing :—
5
16
1
2
Native Superintendents.
Vaccinators.
Writer.
Chuprassies.
Commenced work in
the Lahore district.
4. The Vaccinators having collected at Lahore about the end of Octo-
ber, the season's work was started, on the 1st November, in the villages
near the city, with lymph supplied by the Superintendent General from
Simla.
5. Lahore Tehseel.—On commencing operations, I encountered a good
deal of opposition, and being inexperienced at the work, but little progress
was made for the first two weeks.
Meeting of Zaildars.
Having received information from Mr. Moore, the Deputy Commission-
er, that a meeting of Zaildars was to be held at the Cutcherry, on the
15th of the month, I took the opportunity of attending it, considering this
a favorable occasion for discussing the subject of vaccination with them,
and having its object and benefits fully explained. At this meeting, Major
Davis, the Commissioner, took great pains to explain to them the advantages
to be derived from vaccination, and forcibly urged on them the impor-
tance of giving every assistance in their power, which they all readily
enough promised to do.
No Assistance given
by the Lumberdars.
Some improvement in the progress of the work took place after this,
but a little experience soon taught me, that, however willing the Zaildars
were to give assistance, they, as a rule, had little influence over the Lum-
berdars, who alone seemed able to persuade the people to bring their children
to be vaccinated. These men, with but few exceptions, gave little assist-
ance, they took no interest in the work, nor did they deem it part of their
duty to do so. Some of them, on hearing of my coming to inspect the
work done in their villages, purposely absented themselves during the
time of my visit; while of those present, especially in the larger villages,
not a few, by remaining passive in the matter, plainly shewed a determi-
nation to assist but as little as possible. Whenever these officials shewed
apathy and indifference to vaccination, little could be done; and in almost
every case where they offered real assistance, the prejudices of the people
were easily removed, and a great number of children got vaccinated. If
the co-operation of these men could always be secured, almost all the
objects to the spread of vaccination would be removed, and little further aid
would be required.
Number of persons
Vaccinated in Novr.
6. During the month of November 1428 children were vaccinated by
the Establishment, giving an average of 68 operations a month for each
man, or a little over 2 a day.
7. City of Lahore.—There being no municipal funds available for vac-
cination purposes in this city, I placed a Native Superintendent and 3
Vaccinators at the disposal of the Members of the Municipal Committee, to
work under their auspices.