VACCINATION RETURNS
OF THE
PROVINCE OF ASSAM
FOR THE SEASON
1903-1904.
As the number of vaccinations performed in the hill tracts and in the feudatory
state of Manipur and their result is known, the statistics given here include the popula-
tion of those regions, and are based on the total population of the province of Assam
according to the census of 1901, viz., 6,126,343.
Statement No. I.
Vaccine department.
2. The total number of vaccinations performed in the last working season by all
agencies was 278,802, against 304,121 in 1902-1903 and
280,827 in 1901-1902, showing decreases of 25,319 and
2,025 operations respectively. Of the 13 districts, 5 show
increase and the rest decrease. Decrease has persisted for two seasons in Nowgong,
the Naga Hills, the Garo Hills, and the tea gardens. The attention of all concerned
will be called to this unsatisfactory state of affairs, with a view to its remedy. The
decrease in Cachar is due to the small number of vaccinations done by the tea garden
agency and also to the non-receipt of returns from some of the gardens. The Civil
Surgeon, Sylhet, attributes the falling off to the fact that during 1902-1903, owing to
the prevalence of small-pox, the work had been done for 7 months instead of 6 or 5.
The new Civil Surgeon of Kamrup is unable to assign any direct reason. The decrease
in Nowgong is said to be due to the absence of a permanent vaccinator for about four
months. In Lakhimpur the work was impeded by an outbreak of measles. The Civil
Surgeon of the Naga Hills, where the number has gone down to half, ascribes it to the
neglect of the vaccinators or to check of exaggeration of figures. The decrease in the
Garo Hills is small, and that in the Lushai Hills is due to the fact that, there being no
smallpox, the people are not anxious to be vaccinated.
3. The percentage of success in the case of primary operations is a little lower and
of revaccination a little higher than in the previous year, being 97.87 and 81.86,
against 97.90 and 77.81. The proportion protected per 1,000 of population is smaller,
being 44.28 against 48.18. The percentage of success in primary vaccination ranges
from 100.00 to 91.94, the lowest being reported from the Naga Hills district ; and
in revaccination from 100.00 to 46.15.
Statement No. II.
4. The cost of each successful vaccination was a little higher, being one anna nine
pies, against one anna seven pies. The highest cost was
five annas in the Naga Hills, and the lowest eleven pies in
Goalpara.
Statement No. III.
Dispensary vaccination.
5. The amount of vaccination work done by dispensary agency fell from 22,597 in
1902-1903 to 21,078 in 1903-1904. The decrease is small,
and is distributed over the districts of Kamrup, Darrang,
Nowgong, Lakhimpur, the Naga Hills, the Lushai Hills, and
Manipur.
Statement No. V.
6. The percentages of inspection by civil surgeons and by lower agencies on the
total number of vaccinations were, respectively, 9.38 and
55.25 in primary and 4.36 and 35.38 in secondary vaccina-
tions. In the preceding year the percentages were 8.77 and 54.49 in primary, 4.64 and
34.21 in revaccinations. Kamrup, Lakhimpur, Manipur, Cachar, the Naga Hills, and
Darrang show, in the order named, the greatest decrease in the percentage of inspection
by the civil surgeons ; and the Lushai Hills, Nowgong, the Garo Hills, Goalpara, the
Khasi Hills, and Sylhet in that by lower agencies. The Civil Surgeon of Nowgong did
the greatest amount of inspection work, the percentage being 44.07, against 13.06 in
1902-1903. The Civil Surgeon of Cachar could not inspect Hailakandi and remote
parts of the district in consequence of his being in charge of the regiment from time to