ABSTRACTS OF REPORTS OF CIVIL SURGEONS.
73
High fees charged.
as in the former times of inoculation, village after village in the jurisdictions of the head-men
is completely vaccinated. Sometimes, however, it occurs that a few of the villages, for want
of funds to pay the fees of the inoculators, are left unprotected. This is owing to the high
fees charged by the tikaits, and every member of the village community being unable to
pay, the whole village, by choice of the villagers themselves, is left unvaccinated.
Inspection.
The number of these inoculators practising vaccination is great; twenty-six of them
working in 13 batches were supplied with lymph, and the operations of the whole extended
over a large portion of the district. In order to inspect the work of these men thoroughly,
an establishment would be required that is not in existence. One inspection of the work of
some was made during the year in February, and a special report submitted at the time.*
Feeling of the
people.
The feeling of the people as regards vaccination is not against. I may go so far as
to say that they show no feeling for or against it; all rests in the hands of the inoculators,
who are the men to decide for the people whether it should be vaccination or inoculation.
No practice of inoculation in the district during the year has come to my knowledge,
and no small-pox prevailed.
The following are the particulars regarding the protection from small-pox enjoyed by
the people:—
Vaccine census
Class of persons examined.
Prisoners
School
Total
Number
examined.
95
234
329
Inocu-
lated.
64
107
171
Percent of
total
examined.
67.30
45.72
51.6
Vaccin-
ated
14
59
73
Percent of
total
examined.
14.73
25.2
22.2
Had
small-
pox.
7
16
23
Percent of
total
examined
7.37
6.83
7.0
Unpro-
tected.
10
52
62
Percent of
total
examined.
10.53
22.2
18.8
Maunbhoom
Work of trained
inoculators.
Maunbhoom.—Mr. W. Wilson, the Civil Medical Officer, reports that no
Government vaccinator worked in the district during the year. Vaccination
was, however, performed in the interior by tikaits—ex-inoculators—who
charged their own fees. Any vaccinations required in the Sudder Station
were performed by Mr. Wilson and his assistants. The district contains 48
pergunnahs, and there are 99 registered tikaits; 37 of these were instructed
and supplied with instruments and crusts. These men returned to their
former beats, which lay within ten pergunnahs. Mr. Wilson inspected work in
seven pergunnahs and found it on the whole satisfactory; 14 men had performed
1,972 operations, of which only 24 were failures. This gave 140 operations
per man. In eight pergunnahs not inspected, 13 men have performed 1,593
operations—122 each. The people willingly accept vaccination from these
tikaits, who perform religious ceremonies. The fees charged were too high.
Mr. Wilson represented this to the Deputy Commissioner, who prescribed a
graduated scale, to be charged according to the means of individuals, ranging
from half an anna to two annas. The men had charged four annas a head.
No inoculation has been practised in the district lately.
The civil authorities aided and countenanced these proceedings, and
granted a perwannah to men who had been certified competent by the Civil
Surgeon, authorizing them to practise in their own pergunnahs. An attempt will
be made next season to limit the operations of the men to certain specified areas.
No small-pox had prevailed epidemically in this district since 1866.
K. McLEOD, A.M., M.D., Asst. Surgeon,
Offg. Secy., Inspr. Genl. of Hospitals,
Indian Medical Department.
* Mr. Manook reported the result of inspection of two men's work; in the first man's beat he found a village completely
vaccinated—men, women, and children. Some of the cases showed large ulcers, caused partly by the manner in which the operation
had been performed, and partly by want of care after its performance The man was cautioned and instructed with regard to
these points. The people complained that his rates—4 annas for each male and 2 annas for each female, with a contribution
of rice—were too high. In the other man's beat the Civil Surgeon found " very good and perfectly successful vaccination."
This man had vaccinated 7 out of 23 villages. Mr Manook addressed the Deputy Commissioner with a view to his arranging
for a more uniform and moderate scale of charges by the tikarts.
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