DARJEELING CIRCLE.
23
home in January, leaving the vaccinators without supervision. No substitute could be ob-
tained. The number of operations did not fall short of the year before. Each vaccinator
protected 1496 persons.
One hundred and thirty-seven villages were protected.
Purneah.
4. Purneah.—Part of the most northerly thannah of the district was the scene of
operations chosen for the season 1872-73 to extend the work of last year. The native super-
intendent was sick during October, November, December, and January, and in February
and March exercised no proper supervision over his subordinates.
Difficulties encoun-
tered.
The native superintendent of the previous year who had deserted on account of being
ordered to join the district dispensary, appeared in the field in his old character as an
inoculator, and discredited vaccination so much that the men made little progress. The
native superintendent therefore changed his ground and some fairly satisfactory work was
performed in the Bulrampore thannah jurisdiction to the south. As vaccination was entirely a
new thing here, its progress of course met many interruptions from the ignorant opposition
of the people.
The constant loss of letters in the post or great delay in their delivery made it almost
imp ssible to get orders carried out in this district. Each vaccinator protected 1022 per-
sons One hundred and seven villages were protected.
Vaccination in Pur-
noah.
The Civil Surgeon of Purneah has kindly communicated to me an interesting report
on Municipal vaccination in and around the sudder station. There seems to be even greater
opposition there than in mofussil parts, and his success seems to lie almost entirely among
Dhangurs. I have not found that the Rajbungshees who constitute such a large part of
the population of Purneah, offer serious objection to vaccination if it is performed at such
times as not to interfere with their many festivals and holidays.
Dinagepore
Misconduct of na-
tive superintend-
ent.
5. Dinagepore.—The number of operations again declined from the previous year,
each vaccinator having performed 1790 primary operations. Two hundred and eleven
villages were protected. A better result might have been obtained, if the native superin-
tendent had given the attention to his duty that he ought. He contented himself with
visiting the gang about once a month instead of once every week or ten days as ordered.
There was little movement of vaccinators on account of small-pox, so that supervision was
easy, and from the small area allotted, the distances to be travelled short. I could find no
excuse for neglect of duty on this man's part except an occasional attack of fever. He
was one of two men who came to Bengal evidently looking for large emoluments besides
his pay, and was disappointed in finding the inhabitants of the country perfectly able to
hold their own against all comers.
Inoculators.
Several old inoculators who had learned vaccination from some of their friends, hovered
round the neighbourhood of the Government gang for the purpose of apparently getting
supplies of lymph as they wanted it. The uncle of a Government vaccinator was said to
have made a large income from the number of his operations, while all that the nephew
had to show would have made nobody rich at the usual rate. His lymph went no doubt
for his uncle's operations. He was inquired for, but was not forthcoming.
Rajbaree gang.
The Rajbaree kept up a gang of six vaccinators. They were allotted to the jurisdic-
tion of the Raigunge out-post where small-pox was reported. There they arrived early
in December, and remained for ten days or a fortnight, and then distributed themselves
over the district at such places as they pleased, most of them doubling back into the south
of the district to get behind me and avoid inspection. One of them boldly took up his
quarters in the middle of the area set aside for the Government gang, warned the people
against accepting vaccination from Mussalmans who would not perform the Sitala poojah,
without which it was useless, and reaped a rich harvest charging four annas and two annas
a head for each operation. This man was nowhere to be heard of on my arrival.
Misconduct of the
gang.
The conduct of the Rajbaree gang was brought under the notice of the magistrate
who communicated with the manager of the Ranee's estates on the subject. Baboo
Khetro Mohun Sing is naturally much annoyed at his good intentions being thwarted, and
seems inclined to get rid of all the men, a decision I have urged the district magistrate
to get him to re-consider.
The attempt on the part of this gang has been to get vaccination into their own hands
as a caste business and perform it when and how they please, submitting to no inspection
or supervision. Judging from the inferior character of the small amount of their work