ABSTRACTS OF REPORTS OF CIVIL SURGEONS.
63
Attitude of the peo-
ple.
" 5. Among certain classes the feeling of opposition to vaccination is still very strong,
though, on the whole, as far as I have been able to ascertain, less difficulty is experienced
in these days by the vaccinators in persuading the people to have themselves and those
belonging to them vaccinated than in former years.
Inoculation.
" 6. Inoculation, being prohibited by law within the limits of the different municipal-
ities, is practised, with rare exceptions, almost exclusively in the interior of the district and
far beyond the jurisdiction of the said municipalities. Facts or statistics regarding the
mortality, &c., resulting from inoculation are not available. I regret, therefore, I am un-
able to afford any information on this point.
Two inoculators in-
structed.
" 7. Two inoculators, who of their own accord applied to the civil surgeon to be
taught to vaccinate, were trained by Dr. Coates and sent to their respective villages, with a
supply of lymph,—did good service by vaccinating a good number. They were likewise
placed under the supervision of the police, and they both proved themselves faithful
and most useful converts. Two inoculators were also similarly trained at Kandi, but the
sub-assistant surgeon found that their reports were not trustworthy.
" It ought to have been mentioned before that the municipal vaccinator engaged at
Berhampore was an old inoculator, and after being trained proved himself to be the best
and most successful vaccinator in the district.
Small-pox.
" 8. It has already been stated that small-pox has been very prevalent during the
present season in some parts of this district. It first appeared in September 1872 in the
village of Indrayn, within the jurisdiction of Kandi, and gradually spread itself over other
parts of the district, and finally broke out in Berhampore. From its first appearance up to
the present time 978 cases are reported by the police to have occurred, of which 252, or
nearly 25 per cent., have proved fatal. The largest number of cases happened in the sta-
tion itself, in that part of it called Gorabazaar, where 531 persons were attacked with the
disease and 137 died. Vaccination was pushed to the utmost, and the affected localities
near the station were almost daily visited by Dr. Coates, who personally supervised the work
of the vaccinators.
'' In conclusion, I beg here to record my belief that, among the cases reported by the
police as that of small-pox, a good number must have been of chicken-pox The natives
use the term Basshantha indiscriminately for all kinds of exanthematous eruptions, except
measles; and since my arrival here I have frequently been summoned to see cases of small-
pox, which on examination proved to be chicken-pox."
Dinagepore.
Dinagepore District.—Dr. Ghose, who joined the district in April 1873, reports that
a vaccinator was entertained by the municipality during the months of December, Janu-
ary, February and March, who vaccinated 158 persons, with a percentage of success of 76.
He inspected six of the vaccinations and found them satisfactory. Mr. Webber, who was
in charge during the year, proceeded on sick furlough in February.
Maldah.
Maldah District.—Baboo Dwarkanath Chatterjee reports that no vaccinator is attached
to the dispensary or entertained by the municipality. The native doctor of the jail and
dispensary vaccinated 41 cases, of which 65 per cent. were successful. The people are
much opposed to vaccination, and inoculation is universally performed. Small-pox prevails
yearly in the district. The civil surgeon attended a case of inoculation, which nearly proved
fatal.
Rajshahye.
Rajshahye District.—Dr. Bensley reports that, on receipt of the resolution on the
report for 1871-72, he instructed all the native doctors in charge of dispensaries, and their
compounders, to vaccinate. 2,460 operations were thus accomplished. Some contented
themselves with vaccinating those who came to their dispensaries; others (Nattore and Lall¬
pore) sought the unprotected and vaccinated house to house. A vaccinator is entertained by the
Beauleah and Nattore municipalities and by the Nattore dispensary, but they work under
the orders of the superintendent of vaccination. Vaccination is tolerated in the district,
and in some places even sought. Inoculation is still practised to some extent in the inte-
rior. Dr. Bensley found that, while 76 per cent. of adult prisoners were inoculated, only 40
per cent. of school-boys were so. No inoculators have been instructed. Small-pox prevail-
ed to a very slight extent in 1872.
Rungpore.
Rungpore District.—Dr. K. D. Ghose reports that no " dispensary vaccination" was
performed in any part of the district during the past season. Next year he intends to
take measures to establish local vaccination, and advocates the training and employment of
brahmins as vaccinators. If they were carefully established in practice, they would in a few