Resolution on the Vaccination Report of Assam for 1897-98.
Extract from the Proceedings of the Chief Commissioner of Assam in the General
Department, No. 4952G., dated Shillong, the 23rd June 1898.
Read—
The Vaccination Report of Assam for 1897-98.
RESOLUTION.
EXCLUDING the dispensary staff and vaccinators employed on tea gardens, 182
paid and 3c licensed vaccinators were employed during the year, compared with 175
paid and 28 licensed vaccinators in the preceding year. The number of Inspectors
of vaccination employed, 18, was the same as in the preceding year. The number of
vaccinations performed by all agencies was 283,914, compared with 274,696 in 1896-
97. Of the total number, 272,707 were primary vaccinations and 11,207 were cases of
revaccination. Of the primary cases, 269,359, or 98.77 per cent., were reported as
successful. The average number of persons vaccinated by each vaccinator was 1,065,
against 1,103 in the preceding year. The total cost of the department was Rs. 22,346,
against Rs. 21,724, and the average cost of each vaccination reported as successful
was one anna and eight pies, as against one anna and six pies in 1896-97.
Of the total number of operations, 255,583 were done by paid and licensed
vaccinators. The number of vaccinations performed by dispensary establishments
shows a satisfactory increase from 8,072 to 17,177. The number of vaccinations
performed by tea garden agency was 11,154. In the Report for 1896-97, 16,274
vaccinations were shown as performed by such agency in that year, but it now
appears that this figure was incorrect, and that the actual number was 13,981.
2. The figures given in paragraph 9 of the report show that there was an increase
in the number of persons vaccinated in all the plains districts except Sibsagar and
Kamrup. The greatest increase, 7,616, occurred in Goalpara, and is attributed to the
efficient assistance given to the vaccinators by Mr. Ward, the District Superintendent
of Police. The decrease of 8,259 vaccinations in Sibsagar has not been explained, but
in this district there were considerable increases in each of the two preceding years,
and the number of vaccinations performed remains comparatively large. The
continued decrease in the annual number of vaccinations in Kamrup is unsatisfactory,
but the falling off which occurred in 1897-98 was no doubt partly due to the preva-
lence of cholera in the district, and migrations of people in consequence of the
floods which occurred after the earthquake. The inspection work done by Civil
Surgeons and Inspectors of vaccination was again inadequate. The number of
operations verified by Civil Surgeons, 24,207, shows an increase, as compared with the pre-
ceding year, but falls far short of the number verified in 1895-96, 29,886, and the consi-
derable variations in the number of such inspections performed in different districts from
year to year appear to indicate that a far larger amount of inspection could be done
without difficulty by most Civil Surgeons. The number of cases inspected by Surgeon-
Major Dobson, Civil Surgeon of Goalpara, 7,717, was more than double the outturn
of any other Civil Surgeon. The failure of the Civil Surgeons of Cachar, Kamrup,
and Sibsagar to inspect vaccinations by licensed vaccinators is especially unsatis-
factory. The number of inspections by native Inspectors fell from 157,386 to 150,005.
3. In the letter of the Government of India in the Home Department, No. 141,
dated the 20th January 1898, reviewing the Report on Vaccination in this province
for 1896-97, attention was drawn to the very large proportion of successful operations
reported from most districts, and it was suggested that the Sanitary Commissioner
should himself verify a considerable number of the cases in the district of Nowgong,
where it was reported that all the 12,970 primary vaccinations performed in that year
(exclusive of vaccinations at dispensaries) had been successful. From Statement
No. I appended to the present report, it would appear that out of 16,543 primary
vaccinations performed in Nowgong in 1897-98, excluding dispensary operations, 16,537
were successful. Dr. Stephen states that he inspected a considerable number of