3
have been more so if prosecutions had been more frequently instituted, if, in fact, there
had been a little more compulsion. In Sylhet, the number of notices issued was 399,267
and 228. In 1899-1900 no one was punished; in 1900-1901, four people were and in
1901-1902 six were fined. There is but little compulsion in this, and yet Sylhet is the only
place in which any one was punished at all, with the exception of 3 who were prosecuted
and 2 of whom were fined at Shillong last year. In 1899-1900, the Sibsagar authorities
prosecuted 22 persons, but no one was punished, and no others were even prosecuted
anywhere else in the whole province in any one of the three years under review.
Vaccine depôt.
10. The total number of tubes loaded at the Animal Vaccine Depôt, Shillong,
with vaccine virus during the year 1901-1902 was 395,317,
as compared with 387,557 in 1900-1901 and 317,382 in
1899-1900 : thus during the last year of the triennium, viz., 1901-1902, the amount of
work done at the depôt was the largest and most satisfactory. Of the 432 calves
inoculated, virus was only taken from 404, each animal therefore furnished enough to
give an average of 979 tubes each, against 1,136 in the previous year. For various
reasons lymph was not taken from 28 calves, including the 4 that died after inoculation.
The fact that the average number of tubes filled with virus from each calf fell off, is
attributed (a) to the percentage of solid vesicle in the lymph having been raised from
33 1/3 to 50 and (b) to 20,000 tubes of about double calibre having been utilised.
11. The total mortality among the calves, both protected and unprotected, was 12,
which compares very favourably with the mortality in the two preceding years, viz., 26
and 41. This decrease is a financial gain, and forms an important feature in the
working of the depôt. The greater care bestowed on the protection of the calves from
cold had a salutary effect on their vitality. The quality of the lymph was generally
excellent throughout the year. In the Darrang district the first supply turned out to
be of an inferior quality, probably due, as remarked by the District Civil Surgeon, to
the heat of the weather at the time of arrival of the lymph in his district. No complaint
was received from any other district regarding the inefficacy of the lymph.
12. The total expenditure for the year 1901-1902 was Rs. 8,069-11-11, including
Rs. 762-13-1 realised from the Manipur State. In the years 1900-1901 and 1899-1900,
the amounts expended in connection with the vaccine depôt were Rs. 7,868-2-6 and
Rs. 7,753-7-1, respectively. The increase of expenditure in 1901-1902 was caused by
the purchase of more capillary tubes to meet the enhanced demand. Moreover, this year
started with only 10,000 tubes in hand, against 50,000 tubes in the preceding year.
13. Lieutenant-Colonel G. Duncan, I.M.S., was in charge of the depôt for the whole
year and managed the institution in an efficient manner. He reports that 2nd-grade
Hospital Assistant Kamal Charan Datta, who was in subordinate charge, carried out
the work of the depôt remarkably well in every detail.
Cost of the department.
14. The total cost of the department for the year 1901-1902 was Rs. 22,776-5-3,
as against Rs. 22,833-7-9 in 1900-1901 and Rs. 22,938-6-3
in 1899-1900. The small decrease of expenditure during
the season 1901-1902 occurred mainly under the head "Travelling Allowance" in the
Cachar district. This is probably due to the small amount of travelling done by the
Native Inspector of Vaccination of that district, as will appear from the statement
relating to the inspection of vaccination work. The Civil Surgeon lately submitted
an unfavorable report on this man who is now on leave without pay, and will not be
allowed to rejoin. Of the total amount expended during 1901-1902, Rs. 8,673-2-1
were met from Provincial, Rs. 12,011-4-5 from Local, and Rs. 781-1-9 from Municipal
funds, and Rs. 1,310-13 were contributed by the Manipur State. The amounts of
contributions by the Local Boards increased to an appreciable extent, owing, no doubt,
to the number of paid vaccinators having been raised from 186 to 192. The average
cost of each successful vaccination was one anna and seven pies, which is the same as
in 1899-1900, but less by one pie than in 1900-1901.
General.
15. In my report for the season 1899-1900, I observed that it was stated that the
practice of inoculation was dying out, and during the year
1899 no epidemic of small-pox could be traced to a survival
of this custom; but in my next one, I noted that the Civil Surgeon of Sylhet reported
that the prejudices against vaccination seemed to be on the increase rather than on the
decline. In their District Annual Reports for last year, the Civil Surgeons, both of
Cachar and Sylhet, which together hold nearly half of our population, complain that the
practice of inoculation is still carried on and that several outbreaks of small-pox were dis-
tinctly traceable to the operations of the Ganaks, and begged that they might be punished.
The inhabitants of the Hailakandi subdivision actually petitioned the Hon'ble the Chief
Commissioner last April that enforced vaccination might be stopped and inoculation
allowed. I need hardly say that prayer of the petition was not granted, but it shows