ABSTRACTS OF REPORTS OF CIVIL SURGEONS.
65
Luckimpore.
Luckimpore.—Surgeon J. B. White reports that vaccination is carried on by
a Government vaccinator on Rs. 10 a month, who is deputed to certain mouzahs
and aided as much as possible by the civil authorities and tea-planters. His
work is inspected by the Civil Surgeon, and he has to send in crusts with his
return to represent the number of his cases. Vaccination was not set up till
January owing to the packets of lymph having been by mistake sent after
Dr. White to Cachar. The opposition of the people is more passive than active.
There are two inoculators in the district who decline to be taught vaccination
unless employed as Government servants. 360 operations are said to have been
performed by an ex-vaccinator. Small-pox is not so prevalent in the district
as in former years.
Shillong.
Shillong.—Assistant Surgeon J. O'Brien, M.D., reports that there is but one
Government vaccinator for the Khasi and Jynteah hills on a salary of Rs. 12 ;
he is principally employed in and around Shillong. The villages in these
parts are very scattered, and one man cannot do much. The people are very
superstitious, and believe small-pox to be the work of a god or demon, and
consider it impious to endeavour to avert its approach. Under the belief that
the mortality among young subjects is less, they voluntarily expose their
children to infection. Fully one-half of the population exhibit signs of small-
pox. The disease did not prevail during the year. The services of one man
are quite inadequate to accomplish anything like extensive or exhaustive work.
The Civil Surgeon is moreover tied down to the station, where he has both a
civil and military charge. The civil authorities and missionaries are willing
to aid, and as the people are docile, Dr. O'Brien thinks that, with proper arrange-
ments, there would be no difficulty in spreading vaccination throughout this
district. Inoculators work in villages near the plains; they charge Rs. 2 or
Rs. 3 for each operation.
Particulars regarding the protection from Small-pox enjoyed by the Prisoners in the
Shillong Jail.
Vaccine census.
Class of persons
examined.
Prisoners, jail ... ...
Number
examin-
ed.
38
Inoculat-
ed.
11
Per cent. of
total
examined.
28.9
Vaccin-
ated.
1
Per cent. of
total
examined.
26
Had
small-
pox.
21
Per cent. of
total
examined.
55.2
Unpro-
tected.
5
Per cent. of
total
examined.
13.1
There has not been any small-pox in the jail during the last three years.
DINAPORE CIRCLE.
BEHAR.—PATNA DIVISION.
Dinapore.
Dinapore—Assistant-Surgeon W. A. Gardiner, M.D., (British Service) states
that one vaccinator paid by the cantonment fund is employed, and gets Rs. 10
a month—Rs. 5 of which he receives at once, and the other Rs. 5 in return
for crusts at one anna each. The number of persons vaccinated was consider-
ably greater than in the previous year, and the percentage of success better.
The work is not systematically done, and only those cases that are brought to
the Superintendent are seen. No attempt has been made to instruct inoculators.
Small-pox prevailed during the year in the sub-district. There were 100 cases
and 16 deaths in 1871, and 77 cases and 5 deaths up to 8th April 1872. Huts were
erected for isolation and treatment, but few resorted to them. No statistics of
protection are given. Dr. Gardiner considers that the people would not be
averse to vaccination if it were properly performed by a sufficient staff specially
superintended.
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