NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
FROM
ISAAC NEWTON, ESQUIRE,
OFFG. SUPERINTENDENT GENERAL OF VACCINATION,
PANJAB,
To
LEPEL H. GRIFFIN, ESQUIRE,
OFFG. SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT,
PANJAB AND ITS DEPENDENCIES.
SIR,
I have the honor to submit, for the information of His Honor the
Lieutenant Governor, my Report on Vaccine Operations in the Panjáb, during
the year 1871-72.
Total of all Vaccino
operations.
2. The total number of vaccine operations performed
in the Panjáb, by all establishments, is 281,519, being an
increase of 60,070 on the work of the previous year. The
total successful cases is 246,677, showing an increase of
53,988 on last year. The percentage of success in primary
vaccinations is 87.16 against 85.03 last year ; and in second-
ary or revaccinations, 60.40 as compared with 59.88 last
year. The average number of persons vaccinated by each
operator is 1,002.28. The operators include Hakíms and
Native Superintendents. The cost of each successful case is 2
annas 4 pies, showing a considerable reduction on last year,
when it was 4 annas and a fraction over 4 pies. The total
number of persons vaccinated is in the ratio of 1.60 per
cent. of the total population, and the total number of success-
ful operations is at the rate of 47 per cent. of the estimated
annual birth rate for the Panjáb, taken at 3 per cent. Satis-
factory as this may be, there is yet a little more than half
of the estimated number of births, or, in round numbers,
280,000 children left annually to be protected, or die from
small-pox.
Reliability of Vaccina¬
tors' returns.
3. His Honor the Lieutenant Governor, in his review
of last year's report, observing on the non-reliability of statis-
tics furnished by vaccinators, stated that returns should be
checked by superintending officers as carefully as possible. I
have therefore paid particular attention to this part of my
duties. All the native superintendents and vaccinators have
been warned, over and over again, that they will be dismissed
if found out submitting an untruthful return, and that numbers
was a secondary matter in importance, to truthful returns and
quality of work.
Introduction of Village
Registers.
With this object I introduced " village registers " at the
beginning of this cold season, which received the approval of
His Honor the Lieutenant Governor. Previously, one regis-
ter, containing the names of all persons vaccinated in a
parganah or subdivision of a district performed by each
vaccinator, was forwarded, on completion of work, to the
tahsíl. It was found impossible to use these in checking the
returns of vaccinators; I therefore substituted village registers,
[ 2 ]
viz., a separate register of each village vaccinated, to be
signed by the lambardár or head man of the village, and by
the native superintendent who inspected the work, and then
sent to the Superintendent General's office for. examination.
When all the village registers of a mortuary registration circle
are complete, they are forwarded to the thánadár, who might,
during epidemics of small-pox, refer to these registers, and
compare the names of those who have died from small-pox,
with those entered in the register as successfully vaccinated ;
this could be made a complete check on the vaccinators, and
would also constantly bring before the people the connection
between vaccination and small-pox.
That part of the provincial establishment which worked
under the immediate superintendence of myself and Doctor
Bennett have been closely watched, and a very considerable
part of their work inspected, and I think their returns may be
safely received as fairly correct. The following is the result
of some of the work seen and examined by myself of which I
took notes in order to compare with the returns. Of 128
villages and 4 towns taken indiscriminately, the registers gave
4,164 as having been vaccinated; of this number I could only
succeed in examining 3,089. In towns where this difference
has principally arisen, I found it quite impossible to examine
all the children vaccinated without giving up a considerable
amount of time which I had not to spare. Where any
difference occurred in a village it was always satisfactorily
accounted for by the lambardár. Of the number examined,
2,891 were successful, 12 were unsuccessful, 73 were doubtful,
i.e., the vesicles were not of the true Jennerian type, and 113
were revaccinations. This gives a percentage of success of
97.14 (excluding revaccinations which were all of a doubtful
nature), which will bear comparison with that given in the
returns.
As regards dispensary vaccination returns, I wrote to
Civil Surgeons having dispensary vaccinators under them
regarding the means they have of testing their vaccinators'
returns. The purport of their replies is given under dispen-
sary vaccination of each district. Some are unsatisfactory ;
but the duties of Civil Surgeons, as a rule, prevent their
having time for looking after the vaccinators, except now and
then in the town at their head-quarters. If they were to
use the village registers, the returns could be very easily
checked.
Provincial Establish¬
ment.
4. The establishment of the Panjáb Vaccine Depart-
ment during the season of 1871-72, consisted as follows :—
1 Superintendent General.
1 Superintendent.
26 Native Superintendents.
23 First Class Vaccinators.
27 Second Class do.
63 Third Class
do.
Districts visited.
5. The districts that have been visited by the provincial
establishment during the present season are Ambálah, Am-
ritsar, parts of Lahore, Ráwalpindi, Kángra, and the Native
[ 4 ]
estimated population of 50,000—2,368 persons were vaccinated,
of which 2,091 were successful. The people of this State
appreciate vaccination, and the work was carried on satisfac-
torily.
Jabbal State.
8. Vaccination was performed thoughout the Jabbal
State during the months of April and May. The Edna gave
me every assistance, and I vaccinated his two sons, one about
9 years and the other about 3 years old. No difficulty of
any kind was any where met with in this State; the people
being fully alive to the beneficial effects of this prophylactic.
Numbers vaccinated.
This State has an estimated population of 40,000, and
1,691 persons were vaccinated, of which 1,592 were success-
ful. A case or two of small-pox occurred in this State while
the vaccinators were there, but it was soon checked by quaran-
tine and vaccination.
Operations carried on in
Simla all the hot sea-
son.
9. During the whole hot season, one native superin-
tendent and four vaccinators carried on vaccination in Simla,
working in the bazars, neighbouring villages, including the
cantonment of Jutog, and amongst the servants of residents.
They vaccinated 433 children, of which 279 were success-
ful, and 152 were revaccinations, of which only 26 were
successful.
Small-pox introduced in-
to two villages close
to Simla.
10. In April a man returned from the Hardwár fair,
to his home in the village of Bhurial, about two miles from
the Boileaugunge end of Simla; he soon became ill with
small-pox; for some days the people in the village were not
aware that he was suffering from small-pox, and free inter-
course took place; about 21 days after his return three more
men in the same village were attacked at intervals of a day.
About 10 days after these men took the disease, a man of
the village of Godong, about 1½ mile from the Boileaugunge
police station, who is brother-in-law to the first man attacked,
and whom he used daily to visit, also contracted the disease.
I visited these two villages and examined those suffering from
small-pox, and all the other residents of these villages, both
adults and children. They had all been vaccinated, with
the exception of one or two elder ones who had been inocu-
lated ; but all were revaccinated.
The first man attacked had been vaccinated when a
child, but no marks were visible; this man had the disease
severely, but recovered. The second had been inoculated and
had the disease slightly, and recovered. The third, a young
man of about 18 years of age, had been vaccinated as a child,
had a very mild attack, and also recovered.
The fourth man had been inoculated but not vaccinated,
took the disease very severely and died. The 5th man (of
Godong) had been vaccinated, had a severe attack, but even-
tually recovered. Not a single child took the disease. Quar-
antine was carried out in both villages ; in the latter the man
was immediately put out of the village in a little hut erected
for him, and his father, who had had the disease, alone allowed
to attend on him.
The people of the neighbouring villages were eager to be
vaccinated. The above cases illustrate the protective power
[ 6 ]
vaccine cicatrices, and of these 16 were very poor; 19 had no
marks, and of these 6 were marked from small-pox.
It will be seen that the same result has been found
in the Sanáwar Asylum, and it is only fair to presume that
this is the state of the children generally in the army.
151 children were vaccinated in this asylum, of which
54 proved successful in the primary vaccination, and 40 in
revaccinations, or those who were badly marked.
Vaccination in the Bághal
State,
13. Having sent a staff of vaccinators early in October
into the Bághal State, I followed during the middle of the
month, and found the work progressing favourably; no trouble
whatever was experienced. The Rána gave every assistance ;
but I regret to say I could not persuade him to have his
children nor those of his nephew vaccinated. In this State,
having an estimated population of 22,000,—3,080 persons were
vaccinated, of which 2,912 were successful, and 68 revaccina-
tions.
Commencement of cold
season's operations in
the Kurr parganah of
Ambálah district.
14. Towards the end of October, I proceeded to the
town of Manímájrah, in the Kurr parganah of Ambálah dis-
trict, having sent on a few vaccinators, to start the work, and
on my arrival I found good vesicles had been raised in several
villages, and early in November the cold season's work
was fully established.
Part of this parganah (1,998 persons) was vaccinated
last season, owing to small-pox having broken out in several,
villages, as mentioned in para. 35 of my report for last year.
In one village I visited, (Teera) in which 100 children were
vaccinated last year in March, up to this time they had had
no case of small-pox, but, in the month of June, the lambar-
dár's two children, who had been away on a visit, returned,
bringing with them the small-pox contagium, not having been
vaccinated ; four or five other children took the disease from
them ; but the whole hundred that had been vaccinated re-
mained free from the disease ; 36 more children were vaccin-
ated, and I believe the people of this village were thoroughly
convinced of the benefit vaccination had given them.
In the town of Kurr, containing a population of 4,884,
only 150 children were vaccinated, and this with great trouble,
and only by going myself into the town on several occasions
and remaining there two or three hours; little or no assistance
being given, and the people apparently much opposed to vac-
cination. Whereas, in the small town of Sahána, having a
population of 3,330,—153 children were vaccinated without
the least difficulty.
Town Manímjrah.
In the town of Manímájrah, having a population of 6,045,
502 persons were vaccinated, of which 489 were successful.
A Sardár who lives here gave very considerable assistance, to
whom this success is entirely due.
Number vaccinated in
Kurr parganah.
In the Kurr parganah, having a population of 164,035,
work went on very satisfactorily, being completed during the
month of November. There are 391 villages in this par-
ganah, which were all visited. The total number of vaccina-
tions performed in this parganah, excluding the town of
[ 8 ]
Town of Sháhábád.
In the town of Sháhábád, the population of which is
11,678, the total number vaccinated is 349, of which 330 were
successful. In this town I examined 107 children, and found
103 successful.
Town of Thánesar.
In the town of Thánesar, having a population of 7,929, only
141 were vaccinated, of which 129 were successful and 7 revac-
cinations. In this town I examined 126 children, of whom I
found 120 had been successfully vaccinated and 6 were doubtful.
In the town of Ládwah, the population of which is nearly
5,000—155 children were vaccinated, and I examined 136
children; 117 were successful, and 17 were revaccinations.
Jagádhri parganah.
17. Operations were commenced in the Jagádhri par-
ganah about the middle of January, and were completed about
the middle of February.
On my arrival on 26th January, I found the work pro-
gressing most satisfactorily; tahsíldár Ujágar Mall having
at once taken an interest in the work. The population of this
parganah is 217,532, and contains 384 villages, all of which
were visited. The total number vaccinated is 6,819, of which
6,509 were successful and 71 revaccinations.
Town of Jagádhri,
In the town of Jagádhri, having a population of 11,676,
the total number vaccinated is 286, of which 238 were suc-
cessful, and 46 revaccinations. Last year 241 children were
vaccinated in this town. Tahsíldár Ujágar Mall accom-
panied me into the town on each occasion, bringing, the first
time, his three children, two of whom were vaccinated before.
a large number of people collected, the third having previously
been successfully vaccinated.
Town of Búriyah.
In the town of Búriyah, the population of which is 8,351,
I had considerable success ; 383 children were vaccinated; of
this number 356 were successful and 15 revaccinations. I
examined 185 of these, and found 170 successful and 15 revac-
cinations. A Sardár of some influence resides here, and after
much persuasion I succeeded in vaccinating his son and heir,
about two years old ; previous to the operation, the Sardár was
extremely anxious and full of fears. In the small town of
Biláspúr, having a population of 2,823, in which 169 persons
had been vaccinated, I examined 161 and found 153 success-
ful and 6 revaccinations.
Vaccination in Naráin-
garh parganah.
18. Operations were next carried on in the Naráingarh
parganah, commencing about the middle of February and
completed before the middle of March.
On my arrival in this parganah on 17th February, I
found the work well started. Tahsíldár Nand Lall rendered
every assistance, accompanying me to the large towns, and
took much interest in the work, to which is due the success
obtained in this parganah, and the comparatively short time
in which it was completed; most of the native superinten-
dents having finished about 7th March ; those working in
the low hills being longer owing to the villages being more
scattered.
This parganah has a population of 142,350, and contains
328 villages.
[ 10 ]
thirtieth of the population), the total number of successful oper-
ations is at the rate of 93 per cent. This district extends over
an area of 2,628 square miles, and contains 1,935 villages (ex¬
cluding those of the Rúpar parganah), all of which have been
visited by a staff of 9 native superintendents and 41 vaccina¬-
tors. The average number of persons vaccinated by each
vaccinator is 841.
The total number of deaths from small-pox in this district
was 1,490 during 1871, of which number 1,229 occurred in
rural circles, and 261 in the towns.
Distribution of estab¬
lishment.
20. On completion of vaccination in the Ambálah
district, I sent one native superintendent and his vaccinators to
the Pinjaur parganah of the Patiálah State ; one native
superintendent and his vaccinators to the Haripúr parganah
of the same State ; two native superintendents and their vacci-
nators to the Mailog State ; two native superintendents and
vaccinators to the Bajji State, and the same to the Sukét State,
and one native superintendent and his vaccinators to Kuniah
State.
Pinjaur parganah, Patiá-
lah State.
On my arrival at Pinjaur I found the work had been
started. Every assistance was rendered by the Maharàja's
servants and not an objection raised by the people. The
total number vaccinated is 1,480 ; of this number 1,273 were
successful, and 159 were revaccinations.
Mailog State.
After seeing the work well advancd in the Pinjaur par-
ganah, I proceeded to Mailog and inspected both native super¬
intendents' work, which I found very satisfactory. The Rána
had given every assistance, and 1,326 persons were vaccinated,
of which 1,206 were successful, and 81 revaccinations.
Kuniah State.
I next visited the Kuniah State, where 149 were vaccina¬
ted, 130 of which were successful; the whole of these were
examined by me.
Bajji State.
I next visited the Bajji State, where I found the work
proceeding very satisfactorily.
Sukét State.
The Rajah of Sukét had refused to allow vaccination on
account of a famine in his State.
Districts in which na¬
tive superintendents
and vaccinators have
worked.
21. Vaccine operations have also been carried on in the
following districts by the provincial establishment:—
LAHORE.—One native superintendent and three vac¬
cinators worked in the Lahore and Kasúr parganahs the
whole cold season, vaccinating 1,233 in the former and 1,363
in the latter, with a percentage of success of 98.58. Dr.
Bennett and his staff of vaccinators also vaccinated 5,649 in
these two parganahs, during part of January and February,
making a total of 8,245 vaccinations, with a percentage of
success of 97.77.
On the 18th and 19th December, I inspected the work
in the Lahore parganah and found the vaccine vesicles good
in character and number, but the amount of work that had
been performed was very small; but the people were difficult
[ 11 ]
to deal with, and little or no assistance was being given. I
compared his village registers with the children vaccinated in
three villages and found them truthfully prepared.
AMRITSAR.—The whole of this district was visited by
Dr. Bennett and the staff of vaccinators under him. They
vaccinated 21,105 persons, with a percentage of success of 98.
His report, giving the particulars of his operations during the
year, is herewith appended.
DEHLI.—One native superintendent and five vaccinators
worked in the Balabgarh, Sarsauli, and Dehli parganahs.
They vaccinated 4,755 persons, with a percentage of success
of 98.72. There is a falling off of 2,780 in the number vac¬
cinated as compared with last year. The latter part of the
season the work came, all but, to a stand-still. The tahsíl-
dár, besides having a feud with the native superintendent,
appeared to have a dislike to vaccination ; at any rate I have
every reason to believe he instigated the members of the Sone-
pat Municipality to make a complaint against the vaccinators ;
the result was that parwánas were sent to the tahsíls in the
Dehli division, forbidding assistance being given. The tah-
síldár of Sarsauli published to the people that no one was to
be vaccinated unless they wished for it; this was tantamount
to saying that vaccination was a doubtful practice, but they
could use their own discretion; from this time the vaccination
had to be stopped, and the vaccinators were obliged to leave
the Sarsauli parganah. This is very much to be regretted,
as vaccination had always been very successful in this district.
On 6th February, I visited the town of Sonepat, and
met some of the members of the Municipality. 279 children
had been vaccinated in this town, having a population of 12,176.
I examined 201 children and found 169 successful.
KARNAL.—One native superintendent and four vaccina¬
tors worked in the Pánípat parganah nearly all the season,
commencing work in the Karnál parganah in March. They
vaccinated 5,123 persons in the former and 63 in the latter,
with a percentage of success of 97.47.
On 22nd January, I inspected the work in the Pánípat
parganah ; selecting three village registers showing an aggre¬
gate of 77 children vaccinated. I examined 64 of these ;
the lambardárs accounting satisfactorily for the remainder ; 61
were successful and three were revaccinations
On 23rd, I visited the town of Pánípat, having a popu¬
lation of 25,276. The number of vaccinations is 452, of
which 412 were successful. The members of the Municipality
met me; they proposed entertaining a vaccinator for their
town next year, as they had suffered so greatly from small-
pox, which had prevailed for four months, and during the last
month it had been raging. There were 149 deaths from
small-pox in this town during 1871.
On hearing that small-pox was raging in the Kythal
parganah, I sent off two native superintendents and eight
vaccinators about the end of February, thinking they would
receive good assistance, and that they would be able to cut
short the disease; but I regret to say their time was com-
[ 12 ]
pletely wasted for about five weeks, only vaccinating 25
children ; owing to the tahsíldár having received the parwána
mentioned above.
It is probable the tahsíldár misunderstood the parwána,
thinking he was to stand aloof from the work and withdraw
all his influence and efforts of persuasion.
LUDIANAH. One native superintendent and six vaccina¬
tors worked in the Ludiánah parganah during the whole
season, vaccinating 7,769 persons, with a percentage of success
of 99.33. The work has gone on most satisfactorily this year
in this parganah. Tahsíldár Rádhakishen took considerable
interest in the work; the result has shown that vaccination can
succeed in this district when it receives that attention from the
Civil Authorities that the importance of the work deserves.
In the town of Ludiánah 1,082 persons have been vacci¬
nated, 1,057 being successful. Last year a large staff of
vaccinators only succeeded in vaccinating 3,724 in this par-
ganah and 1,077 in the town. The hope I expressed in last
year's report, that the prejudices to vaccination of the people
of this town, which had previously been so strong, were giving
way, seems to be partially fulfilled, and now that about 3,000
children have been successfully vaccinated during three suc¬
cessive winters, the town should be tolerably protected, and the
fact that only one death from small-pox occurred in this town
during the year 1871, and only 26 throughout the remainder
of the district, would seem to show that it is protected.
On 12th and 13th December I inspected the work in this
district. Selecting three village registers, I went out to the
villages and compared the children vaccinated, and found the
returns correct and the character of the vesicles fair.
JALANDHAR. One native superintendent and four vaccina¬
tors worked during this year in the Phillour and Nakodar
parganahs, and vaccinated 12,642 persons, with a percentage
of success of 99.64. Last year the work in this district was
not satisfactory ; I therefore changed the native superin¬
tendent, putting one of my best men in his place, which has
attended with good results. On 14th December I inspected
the work in the Phillour parganah. I examined 100 children
and compared them with the register, which I found correct
and the vaccine cicatrices very fair. I also examined a few
children in the town of Phillour, with the same result; only
14 deaths from small-pox occurred in the town of Jálandhar,
and 98 in rural circles.
HOSHIARPUR. One native superintendent and five vac¬
cinators worked in the Hoshiárpúr and U'nah parganahs, and
vaccinated 5,840 persons, with a percentage of success of 95.
On the 4th and 5th January I inspected the vaccination
in the Hoshiárpúr parganah. I selected seven village registers
and proceeded to these villages; the registers gave 168 names
as vaccinated ; I examined 153 and compared them with the
registers and found them truthfully prepared; 147 were success¬
ful, and four revaccinations ; about 80 per cent. had six vesicles
and the remainder not less than four, of those entered as
successful.