2
subdivision; in the Lushai Hills to the aversion of the people from vaccination, which, never
having seen the ravages of small-pox, " they consider a useless operation"; and in Mani-
pur to the fact that 29 villages in the hills refused vaccination, because it entailed loss of
worktime. The average number of operations for the last triennial period is greater
than the decennial average in the case of 8 districts.
8. The proportion protected by vaccination per mille of population was highest
(82.11) in the Garo Hills, and lowest in the Lushai Hills (15.83) and in Cachar (20.76).
In 1902-1903 the ratio of protection for Cachar was 16.72 ; in the following year it was
19 38. So it may be said that in spite of opposition and the extensive practice of inocula-
tion, vaccination is gaining ground in the district. The proportions in the other districts
were 51 in Kamrup and the Naga Hills, and 48, 46, and 45 in Manipur, Sibsagar, and
Sylhet, respectively. The total average number of infant vaccinations for the last trien-
nial period was 67,516, against 59,895 of the previous triennium. It will thus be seen that
some improvement as regards infant vaccination has taken place. But in Lakhimpur
and Sylhet, at least, the people dislike the vaccination of children under one year of age.
Verifications by Inspecting offi-
cers.
9. 1 The percentages of inspection by civil surgeons and by lower agencies on the
total number of vaccinations were, respectively, 9.52 and
46.50 in primary, and 2.06and 34.41 in secondary vaccinations.
In the preceding year the percentages were 9.38 and 55.25
in primary, and 4.36 and 35.38 in re-vaccinations. The percentages of inspection by
civil surgeons were greatest in the Khasi Hills and Nowgong, and lowest in the Lushai
Hills, Sylhet, Goalpara, Kamrup, Sibsagar, and Cachar ; that by the native agencies highest
in Cachar, Manipur, and the Khasi Hills, and lowest in the Lushai Hills and Goalpara.
In Sylhet, Goalpara, Nowgong, and the Naga Hills, though the percentage was less,
the number inspected was greater. The Civil Surgeon of Kamrup is unable to account
for the smaller amount of work done by the Inspector of Vaccination of his district. The
decrease in the percentage of inspection by the Civil Surgeon of Goalpara, was due to
his illness and to the inability of the Assistant Surgeon in charge to leave the head-
quarters. The Civil Surgeon of Sibsagar was three times stopped from going on tour by
other urgent duties. The Civil Surgeon of the Lushai Hills states that he visited all the
outposts, and did not confine his inspection to large villages adjacent to the headquarters.
The native inspector of Manipur did less work owing to his illness for a month.
The inspections of the civil surgeons, so far as they went, yielded a success per-
centage of 97.72, against the 98.97 claimed by vaccinators. The percentage observed
by the Civil Surgeons of the Lushai Hills, the Khasi Hills, and Kamrup was much lower
than that claimed. The Civil Surgeon of the Lushai Hills speaks badly of. some of the
work done, and, in addition, the Lushais are given to sucking the vaccination-wound
immediately after the operation.
Working of the compulsory Vac-
cination Acts.
10. Appendix I shows the number of children under one year of age available for
vaccination in towns in which the compulsory Vaccination
Acts are in force, and the number of operations actually
performed. Out of 1,591 children presumably available for
vaccination, 1,142 children were successfully vaccinated during last season. The
percentage of protection works out to 71.78, against 67.77 in the previous season. The
large superiority at Dibrugarh in the number of operations actually performed over the
number of children available may be due, thinks the Civil Surgeon, to some of those
available in 1903-1904 having remained unvaccinated until the vaccinating season just
past, and also to new arrivals in the municipality. The worst results were from Jorhat,
Sylhet, Golaghat, Sibsagar, Silchar, and Nowgong. At Sibsagar, Jorhat, and Golaghat
5, 8, and 5 children, in the order named, left the town and the vaccination of 77, 25, and 30
children was postponed on account of extreme youth and bad health. The small percentage
of protection is attributed at Sylhet to the prevalence of cholera, measles, and bowel com-
plaints during last winter; at Silchar to extreme youth, sickness, and emigration; and at
Nowgong to inaccuracies by vaccinators in determining age.
11. The province contains 13 circles (municipalities, unions, cantonments, etc.)
where vaccination is compulsory under the Acts. The total numbers of vaccinations
performed in these circles during the years of the triennial period under review were
2,998, 2,531, and 2,771, against 2,648, 3,143, and 3,264 in the previous triennial period.
The increase or decrease in the total number of vaccinations in these areas in the last
three years corresponds with increase or decrease in the total number of operations for
the province.
In the last three years the number of notices issued was 380, 354, and 516 ; and
the persons prosecuted were 5, 4, and 2. Five persons were punished in the first year,
but none in the last two years of the triennium.