VACCINATION RETURNS
OF THE
PROVINCE OF ASSAM
FOR THE SEASON
1902-1903.
As the number of vaccinations performed in the hill tracts and in the Feudatory
State of Manipur and their results are accurately known, the statistics relating to
them are based on the total population of Assam, viz., 6,126,343, according to the
census of 1901, where not stated to the contrary.
2. The total number of vaccinations performed in the last working season was
304,121 which includes 291,332 primary and 12,789 re-vaccinations. Cachar shows a
decrease of 3,883, or nearly 30 per cent., due to extensive practice of inoculation by
ganaks. The Deputy Commissioner of Cachar says: " I regret to have to state that
in the interior of the district the people prefer inoculation, and I have no doubt that
the chronic state of small-pox in the villages is mainly due to the existence of profes-
sional inoculators. " The inhabitants of Sylhet are also averse to vaccination, and
prefer inoculation. The Deputy Commissioner of this district would , have inocula-
tion prohibited by law. Goalpara shows a considerable falling-off, while the rest of
the Assam districts show small but satisfactory increases. Good work has been
again done in the Naga Hills, and though the number operated on in the Garo Hills is
a little lower than in 1901-1902, this is not to be wondered at, seeing what Dr. Bancroft
accomplished in 1899-1900-1901.
3. The percentage of successful primary operations was 97.90, against 97.48 in the
preceding season, and the ratio of population protected was 48.18 per mille. The low
percentage (85.80) of successes in the Lushai Hills is due to the fact that the Lushais
suck the vaccinated spot, or apply the juice of the leaf of certain beans to prevent, as
they say, ulcers being formed. Assuming that our actual birth-rate is about 40 per mille
for the whole population, and that the infantile mortality is 23.7 per cent. of births (that
is, taking the mean of Mr. Risley's figures as given in his review of my Sanitary Report
for 1901), the number of children available for vaccination would be 186,975 ; the number
of infants actually vaccinated under one year of age was 69,787, which gives a ratio of
protected children equal to 37.32 per cent., but if the hill districts be excluded, for in
them births are not registered, we find that in the remaining portion of Assam 180,475
children,were born during the year, of whom 36,706 died, leaving 143,769 available for
vaccination ; amongst these, 46,553 vaccine operations were actually performed, giving
a protected rate of 32.38 for the plains districts.
4. The cost of each successful operation was the same as last year, viz., anna
1-7, varying from one anna in the plains to five annas in the hills.
5. The amount of vaccination work done by dispensary agency fell a little, i.e.,
from 23,441 in 1901-1902 to 22,153 in the last season, owing to a decrease of 3,010 in
the Surma Valley districts, where inoculation is extensively practised.
6. The total number inspected by the Civil Surgeons fell off considerably ; this
is due to a decrease in the Cachar, Sibsagar, and Garo Hills districts. Captain A.
Leventon, the then Civil Surgeon of Sibsagar, reports that he could not see as many cases
as he wished owing to his absence at Delhi during a large portion of the best time for
inspection. The percentages of numbers inspected by lower agencies increased every-
where, except in the Sylhet, Naga, and Garo Hills districts, but the numbers from which
the enormously high percentages of successful re-vaccinations reported from the Garo
Hills, Lakhimpur, and Kamrup districts, are too small for them to be of any practical
value. I personally inspected 166 cases while travelling by myself in the Khasi Hills;
with the exception of two rather doubtful ones, the whole were successes : and in the
Sylhet district, while in company with Captain Wood, District Civil Surgeon, I inspected
349 more ; of these, only 282 were successes. This gives a percentage of 80.80, but
as I rigorously rejected every slightly doubtful case and the work of two of the
vaccinators concerned was very bad indeed, while one issue of lymph was not satisfac-
tory, the ratio is an abnormally low one.