GENERAL REPORT.
vii
Reduction of cost of
vaccination.
Obstacles to success.
of persons vaccinated in the cooly depôts. The cost of each successful case
has also fallen from annas, 14¼ to annas 10-1. This is partly owing to the
greater number of successful operations, and partly to the reduction of the
gross cost of vaccination from Rs. 12,642 to Rs. 11,561,—a reduction obtained
by discontinuing the services of one of the deputy superintendents from
October. Dr. Charles explains very fully in his report why vaccination is more
expensive in, Calcutta than in the interior of the province. As the difficulties
which he details gradually yield, and the people become more habituated to
vaccination, it will doubtless become possible for a certain number of agents
to accomplish a larger amount of work. Meantime, no further reductions of
the staff can safely be made, and if the expense of vaccination will be reduced
in future in Calcutta, I am inclined to think that the result will be obtained
not by reducing the agency which does not now accomplish all the work which
would appear to be necessary, but through fewer obstacles presenting them-
selves to the vaccinators in the prosecution of their work. Dr. Charles has
entered very fully into the nature of these obstacles, and the victories over pre-
judice and opposition which have already been achieved are attributable
to the enthusiasm and persevering diligence with which vaccination has been
practised, and are most creditable to all concerned. In time, when the advan-
tages of vaccination become patent to the people, and the habit of thus pro-
tecting every infant becomes a part of their social life, the arts and devices
by which they have been hitherto induced to accept of the prophylactic, will
become unnecessary, and the risks of injudicious pressure will disappear.
Difficulty of arriving
at a true estimate
of the sufficiency
of vaccination.
Use of special cen
sus
15. It is much to be regretted that no approximate estimate can be
formed of the extent to which the annual accession of unprotected persons
in the community of Calcutta and its suburbs is overtaken by vaccination.
There is reason to believe that the birth-rate of Calcutta is lower than might
á priori be supposed, while on the other hand there are good grounds for con-
cluding that the registration of births is imperfect. The number of births
registered in Calcutta, during the year ending 31st March 1873, was 4,113, and
within the limits of the Suburban Municipality, 1,674. The number of
children under one year of age revealed by last year's census, was in the former
case 7,909, and in the latter 8,288. These figures give percentages on popula-
tion of .92,.65,1.76 and 3.22. The percentages of successful vaccination were
(excluding coolies),—town 1.11, suburbs 3.0. The comparison might be con-
sidered favorable if it were reliable. For the present until the statistics of
population have become more reliable, special " vaccine census" among small
sections of the community furnish the best data for determining the extent to
which vaccination has been accepted by the people. Dr. Charles furnished
some information of this description for the town last year, which will be most
valuable for comparison with similar statistics collected in future years.
Dr. Cayley, in the Table No. VI. appended to this report, gives some informa-
tion for the suburbs. The percentages of the vaccinated is very low in con-
sequence of the figures embracing a great number of the followers of the King
of Oudh, who have but partially consented to vaccination.
Small-pox.
16. The almost entire absence of small-pox from Calcutta during the
year is a most gratifying circumstance, and Dr. Charles' remarks go to show
that many of the 19 deaths which did occur were due to small-pox contracted
elsewhere and imported.
Crust vaccination.
17. The observations recorded on the subject of crust vaccination are
interesting and consonant with previous experience.
Supply of lymph.
18. The remarks made on the subject of the supply of lymph, are
important. District vaccination throughout the province was most seriously
delayed and impeded last season through the failure of the early supplies of
lymph forwarded from Calcutta. There appears to be no reason why the