ABSTRACTS OF REPORTS OF CIVIL SURGEONS.
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" According to a previous arrangement, I met the sub-divisional officer at that town
in the middle of December. On the evening of my arrival there, we went round the town
and endeavoured to induce parents to submit their children to the operation. In only two
instances were we successful. On the following morning my efforts resulted in nothing. My
approach was generally the signal for children being snatched up by the parents, doors
being barred, or houses being emptied. Before I left, however, I got some of the people to
promise that, in the event of the cases of the previous evening proving successful, they
would also allow their children to be vaccinated. Fortunately, these cases did turn out a
success, and when I visited the town on the 5th of March I had the satisfaction of inspecting
about 150 cases of successful vaccination, and also of hearing that some of the neighbouring
villagers had applied for the services of the vaccinator. The great bar to vaccination in
the mofussil is the ignorance and apathy of the people.
Inoculation.
" 7. No statistics are available regarding inoculation, which is forbidden within the
municipal limits of the city of Gya.
Inoculators in Gya.
" 8. The result of training and employment of inoculators has not been satisfactory.
In December three inoculators from the district of Tirhoot applied to me for vaccinating
lancets and a certificate authorising them to vaccinate. I granted their application, on the
condition that they would deposit a rupee (which they were to forfeit, if they did not
return the lancet,) and that they would confine their operations to the town of Gya, and
subject any case to my inspection. After some hesitation these terms were accepted, and
they commenced work. At the end of February they had vaccinated 16 cases in all.
They occasionally absented themselves from the town for a few days at a time. I could not
trace them, but I strongly suspected that they went to adjoining villages to pursue their
old practice. During March one of them was caught practising inoculation in the town,
and I had him prosecuted ; and on conviction he was fined Rs. 20, or, in default, one month's
imprisonment, by the deputy magistrate. He paid the fine. Such a light sentence will,
I fear, have little effect in putting a stop to the practice. I deprived this man and another
of their lancets, and their authority to vaccinate.
In Nowada.
" In the Nowada sub-division the deputy magistrate, Syed Ameer Hossein, who took a
zealous and intelligent interest in the subject, induced eight inoculators to qualify themselves
as vaccinators. They were trained by the vaccinator and native doctor. The latter was
strictly enjoined to employ only as many men as whose work he could efficiently super-
vise. On my periodical visit to the dispensary in January they had only vaccinated very
few cases; and when, under the orders from the deputy Inspector-General of Hospitals,
I again visited the sub-division in the end of February, 1 found that, with the exception
of the man whose work lay nearest the station, most of them were carrying on their old
practices. Subsequent reports from the native doctor confirmed the result of my inspection.
They worked in a desultory way all over the sub-division, and when they thought them-
selves free from inspection, they invariably returned to their old practice. One man was
fined Rs. 5, or in default one week's imprisonment. It is difficult to control men over
whom you possess no legal and very little moral power. The native doctor was instructed
to return no case as one of vaccination, unless he had personally inspected it and verified
the report.
Small-pox.
" 9. Small-pox did not prevail to any extent. When an outbreak occurs the vaccinators
are sent to the spot, and the people, as a rule, are not indisposed to avail themselves of their
services.
Vaccine census
" 10. I hope next season to be able to give more extended statistics regarding the
protection from small-pox enjoyed by the people. Every patient who comes to the dis-
pensary is now examined with a view to that result.
" In the schools it was remarked that the greater number of vaccinated persons occurred
among the younger boys.
Vaccine Lymph.
" 11. Vaccine lymph.—The month of November was lost in endeavours to establish
a supply of lymph. All the lymph sent from Calcutta failed, and it was not until I obtain-
ed a supply in tubes from Darjeeling and from Ranchee on ivory points that the results
were favorable."
Arrah District.
Arrah District.—Vaccination was carried on at Arrah, Sasseram, Jagdispore, Doomraon
and Buxar. Dr. Thornton reports as follow regarding the work done at head-quarters :—
Number of vaccina-
tors employed.
" Three vaccinators, each on Rs. 10 per mensem were employed during the whole year,
two of them are paid by Government, and one by the Arrah municipality. These vaccina-
tors have been employed for several years past, and are well-known to the people of Arrah
and the surrounding country. They were employed chiefly in the town and the neighbour-
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