62
ABSTRACTS OF REPORTS OF CIVIL SURGEONS.
Proceedings
of
inoculators.
disease, and during the time they were suffering the zemindar's daughters visited them :
Thus the zemindar's family became infected. At the request of the zemindar I called
there on my way back from Dhoobree in the latter end of March, and vaccinated all in his
house with exception of himself; but as I was doubtful of the vaccine virus being good (it
had been lying at Dhoobree for several months), I despatched the vaccinator with fresh
crusts from here on the 4th April, and he revaccinated them and about 50 others on the
5th, on which date I again went to Luckhipore; and the following morning a number of men
and women came with their children, but I found they would only have the latter vaccinated.
So as an inducement I made the vaccinator vaccinate me in their presence, and immediately
after they all offered their arms to be operated on, including the zemindar. Most likely the
disease would then have been checked had not the zemindar foolishly allowed inoculators
to go to work. I accidentally found out through one of his sons that these people were present
(when I went to inspect the vaccine operations), and told the zemindar that if they
were allowed to inoculate, the disease would be sure to spread. This advice was disregarded,
and three inoculators were allowed to work there after I left, and 118 of those who had
been vaccinated were afterwards inoculated, 26 of whom took ill with small-pox, and I believe
6 died.
Absence of precau-
tions against the
spread of small-
pox.
When an outbreak does occur among them, very little can be done to prevent its spread
(unless at Sudder Stations) ; they appear to have no dread of the disease, and, whether
protected or not, think nothing of visiting houses infected or receiving visitors from them.
They seldom will accept of any treatment except that prescribed by the koberajes ; and
although there is a dispensary at Luckhipore, the hospital assistant was not called to treat
a single case. The zemindar lost several of his family, and only allowed me to see two of his
grown up daughters and one son, but none of his wives ; fortunately those that I did see and
prescribed for recovered, which, it is to be hoped, will make him and his people have less
faith in the koberajes.
The annexed table contains the result of an examination made by me at the two schools
and jail. Of the 27 marked as vaccinated, some had been previously inoculated, but all have
been done since conviction. The greater portion of the unprotected children in the vernacular
school are very young.
Vaccine census
Classes of persons examined
at Gowalparah.
Teacher and pupils, verna-
cular school
...
...
Teacher and pupils, Govern-
ment English school ...
Adults in jail
...
...
Total ...
Number
examin-
ed.
84
62
96
242
Inoculated
46
44
51
141
Per cent.
of num-
ber ex-
amined.
54.76
70.9
53.12
58.26
Vaccin-
ated.
1
1
27
29
Per cent.
of num-
ber ex-
amined.
1.19
1.61
28.12
11.98
Had
small-
pox.
15
11
14
40
Per cent.
of num-
ber ex-
amined.
17.85
17.74
14.58
16.52
Unpro-
tected.
22
6
4*
32
Per cent.
of num-
ber ex-
amined.
26.19
9.67
4.16
13.22
* 3 under trial and 1 lunatic.
Kamroop
Kamroop.—Assistant Surgeon R. H. Curran, Civil Surgeon of Gowhatty,
accounts for the remarkable increase of vaccinations performed in this district
in the following report :—
Great increase in
number of oper-
ations.
In forwarding the annual vaccination return for the year ending the 31st March
1872, I am glad to be able to report great progress in the vaccine operations, so far as
numbers are concerned, when compared with the previous year.
The following table shows the number operated on each year, with the result :—
YEAR.
1870-71 ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
1871-72 ... ... ... ... ... ...
Number
of
vaccinators.
3
27
Total number
vaccinated.
775
8,314
Successful.
671
8,205
Unsuccessful
66
45
Unknown.
38
64
Total.
775
8,314