66
ABSTRACTS OF REPORTS OF CIVIL SURGEONS.
Patna.
Patna.—Dr. Simpson's report of vaccine proceedings in the district of
Patna, excluding the Dinapore sub-district, is as follows :—
Establishment em¬
ployed.
1. The following table gives in a concise form the information called for in paragraph 1
of circular memorandum No. 135, dated 21st February last, from the office of the Inspector-
General of Hospitals, Indian Medical Depratment.
Statement showing the Number, Distribution, and Pay of Public Vaccinators employed in the Patna
district during the year 1871-72.
Where
employed.
Patna
Bankipore and
Phulwalee
Barn
Behar
Paid by
Government.
3
1
Paid by
local
funds.
*2
4
1
2
Total
number.
5
4
1
2
For what period
of year
employed.
3 for 12 mouths
2 „ 5
„
2 „ 12
„
2 „ 5
„
5 months ..
5
„
Amount of pay
per month.
Rs. 10 ... ...
„ 10.
Rs.10.
„ 5 up to Rs. 12
REMARKS.
* These men are discharged at the end of the
vaccinating season.
In proportion to amount of work shown.
Plan of work.
Aid from civil au-
thorities ,
from natives
Prejudices of the
Hindoos
2. The plan adopted in Patna and Bankipore, where the greater number of the men are
employed, is to appoint certain limits within which they are to operate. They are sufficiently
jealous of interference to complain at once if the boundaries assigned for them are trans-
gressed. With regard to aid from the civil authorities, I would mention prominently the
sub-division of Behar, where the Assistant Magistrate, Mr. Broadley, took great interest in
the work, and the marked increase in the numbers vaccinated there during the past season
is in a great measure owing to his exertions and support. His recent transfer to another
district is to be much regretted, as much on this account as on that of the dispensary there,
which is one of the best arranged in Bengal, entirely owing to his exertions. No material
assistance has been received from natives. It was formerly the practice to obtain the assist-
ance of the police ; and although this system may be occasionally liable to abuse, I am of
opinion that in some instances the practice of allowing a constable to accompany the
vaccinator would be most desirable, and would certainly add greatly to the numbers
vaccinated.
The classes who generally raise objections to vaccination are Brahmins,
Rajpoots, Kaysts, and Banyas; also Mahajuns. They are generally the most influential
men of the community. The Hindoos generally do not believe the small-pox to be a
disease, but that it is the wrath of the goddess Seetla, whose worship begins from the month
of Chyte (March). Her worship is performed on the 8th Chyte, Bysack, Jaith, and
Asarh. In these months if children are vaccinated or inoculated, they are pardoned by the
goddess; at other times the operation is considered unsafe. Mussulmans have no such
objections.
Inspection
Work
done at
Phulwaree,—
exhaustive
and
good.
3. The work of inspection is carried on almost daily in the city, and in Bankipore by the
Sub-Assistant Surgeon, by house to house inspection, and at their respective dispensaries;
they are also inspected from time to time by the Civil Surgeon. The large village of
Phulwaree, which is situated near the Dinapore Railway Station, about six miles from
Bankipore, is supplied with a vaccinator from the Bankipore dispensary. The work done
here is inspected once a week during the season by the Civil Surgeon. Considerable pains
were taken last year to ascertain in a rough manner, by a house to house visit, the extent to
which vaccination had been performed in this village. I visited a great number of houses,
and in every instance the young children had either been vaccinated or had had small-pox.
In no case could I find that any who had been successfully vaccinated had subsequently
contracted small-pox.
4. The work done in Patna and Bankipore was chiefly confined to the city and civil
station (including, of course, the long line of street between the two) and Phulwaree, the
large village above named. At Behar the work was done almost entirely in the town, and
likewise at Barh.
Attitude of the
people.
5. With the exception of a small portion of the city of Patna, and in the villages adjoining
the city of Behar, I have heard of no opposition being raised to vaccination. In the city of
Behar itself the people, according to the hospital assistant's account, are beginning thoroughly
to appreciate its benefits as compared with inoculation, and in many instances have applied
of their own accord to have their children vaccinated.
6. No statistics are available regarding inoculation, which is forbidden in the city of
Patna and suburbs.
Inoculators vaccin-
ating.
7. Five inoculators were sent up from Behar last year to the Sudder Station to be trained
as vaccinators; these men decamped after a stay of a day or two. They were, however, I
found, able to vaccinate, and have been since working on their own account.