iii
GENERAL REPORT.
Ranchee circle
Establishment
Additional agency
38. Ranchee Circle.—The establishment, consisting of 1 superintendent
(Dr. J. J. Wood), 3 head vaccinators and 20vaccinators, underwent no change
during the year. In addition to the staff employed and paid by Government,
however, 107 ex-inoculators were engaged in vaccination, and submitted
returns of their work; 16 in the Hazareebaugh district, 32 in the Lohardugga
district, 27 in the Singbhoom district, and 32 in the Maunbhoom district. The
reports of Civil Surgeons render it probable that some work was performed
by other ex-inoculators who did not render returns. The number of these
cannot be stated. The Civil Surgeons and their assistants also performed some
vaccinations.
Summary of work.
39. The work of the Government establishment exceeded that of any
previous year. 36,518 operations were performed, 35,206 of which were
successful against 35,650, and 34,664 in 1871-72; 23,313 and 20,578 in
1870-71; 19,101 and 16,074 in 1869-70; 7,904 and 4,618 in 1868-69, and
6,447 and 5,118 in 1867-68. The increase has thus been progressive. The
number of operations performed by each vaccinator has correspondingly risen,
and the quality of the vaccination has improved, the ratio of success in these six
seasons being 75.70, 58.42, 87.54, 92.12, 98.38 and 97.77. The total cost of the
circle has been higher in 1872-73 owing to the augmentation of the superin-
tendent's salary, and the cost of each successful case has been annas 5-0 6/10 against
annas 4-7 7/10 in the previous season. The higher proportion which the cost of
superintending to executive agency bears in this circle, is the cause of the
greater expense of vaccination as compared with other circles.
Work done by addi-
tional agency.
Vaccinations to po-
pulation
40. The work performed by the additional agency referred to above,
amounted to 30,607 vaccinations as detailed in Table No. V. The results of the
whole of these operations were not detailed. The percentage of successful cases
among vaccinations whose result was tabulated, was 77.8, and if this is accepted
as a representative of the general rate of success, the successful operations
amounted to about 22,812. On adding these figures to the returns of the
circle quoted above, the sum total of vaccinations by all agencies for the season
was 67,125, and of successful vaccinations 58,018. The population of the
Chota Nagpore Division is, according to the last census, excluding the tributary
mehals, 3,450,023 which at 30 per 1,000 would give an annual birth-rate of
103,500. The successful vaccinations, therefore, amount to about one-half of
what would appear to be necessary. Although this is a somewhat disappointing
result, it is a great improvement on the previous year in which the total num-
ber of vaccinations performed by all agencies was 52,769, and that number was
far in advance of any preceding year. As far as the extent of the agency
employed and the amount of work performed are concerned, therefore, the
season under report presents a most marked improvement, and gives promise
of still more satisfactory results in the future.
Proceedings
more
systematic.
Prejudice subsiding
41. The work of the season was conducted in a more systematic
manner than in previous years. A definite area continuous with that pro-
tected in the previous year was mapped out at the beginning of the season. And
this appears to have been on the whole well vaccinated. The parties were kept
so close together as to enable the superintendent to inspect their work three
times. There was less need to scatter the men in consequence of the rarer
prevalence of small-pox, and though some opposition was encountered, it does
not appear to have been either very determined or insuperable. The feeling
against vaccination will in time entirely yield. On comparing this report with
the early annals of this circle's history, it is very evident that it has already
greatly subsided. Active prejudice and opposition have given way to mild resis-
tance or indifference, and if proceedings are judiciously conducted, these states
of mind should in time yield to a sense of the advantage of being vaccinated
and a desire-for the prophylactic.
Result of inspection.
42. Dr. Wood verified in detail 4,468 cases, and found the ratio of suc-
cess to correspond very nearly with that shown in the returns. It is not a