First Report of the Eastern Bengal Circle of vaccination.
By SUB-ASSISTANT SURGEON BHOOBUN MOHUN MITTER, Superintendent.
Establishment sanc¬
tioned.
1. Establishment sanctioned.—The establishment sanctioned by Government consisted
of one superintendent, six head vaccinators and thirty-six extra vaccinators to be entertained
during the working season only.
Actually employed
2 Establishment actually employed.—I reached Dacca on the 30th September 1872,
and took charge of my duties as superintendent on the morning of 1st October 1872.
Three head vaccinators and nine ordinary vaccinators were brought from Calcutta, and three
vaccinators, three inoculators, and twenty-one new men were engaged by me at this station.
Frequent
changes
among vaccinators
3. Frequent changes among the vaccinators.—Of the three head vaccinators, Thakoor
Dass Sircar resigned his post on the 19 th January 1873, Rajendra Lall Gangoly being
promoted in his place. Of the twenty-one new men taken into service as vaccinators, ten
submitted their resignations on the plea that the work is too hard for them, and four were
dismissed from service for negligence and misconduct: trained men not being available at,
the time, fresh men were taken in their place.
Apprentices neces-
sary
4. Necessity for employing apprentices.—To fill up the vacancies which occur every
year in this department, it is absolutely necessary to keep a set of trained men in reserve
and I would propose to employ twelve apprentices at 5 rupees each per mensem.
Virus
5. Virus.—In the latter end of September last one of the head vaccinators brought
with him a vaccinated child from Calcutta, and established the virus beyond the suburban
limits of this city. On reaching this station, I examined the arms of several children, and
the virus was found to be excellent. Great care was taken to preserve the quality of the
virus while transmitting it from one person to another.
Unwillingness of the
people to supply
vaccine lymph.
6. Unwillingness of the people to supply vaccine lymph.—The majority of the people were
very reluctant to allow the vaccinators to take vaccine lymph from the arms of their
children, and it was the general belief that the children who furnish the virus lose flesh
every day and ultimately die. But the vaccinators after experiencing many difficulties
were able to induce some, who, on receiving more than sufficient remuneration, agreed to
supply vaccine lymph, and thus a constant supply of virus was kept up throughout the
vaccinating season in each division.
Plan of work.
7. Mode of Employment of vaccinators.—Each head vaccinator had under him a gang
of twelve vaccinators, and each gang was divided into four batches with an expert operator
at the head of each.
Bold of operation.
Three adjoining thannahs (Lallbog, Narangunge and Moonsheegunge) were selected
as the field of operation at the commencement of the vaccinating season, and to each batch
a certain number of villages were assigned, with instructions to single out a village in the
centre to form as head quarters, from which vaccine operations were to be carried on in all
directions till the area allotted to each was finished.
The head vaccinators examined the character of the vesicles on the 6th, 7th, or 8th
day, taught the new men to vaccinate, and induced the people to accept vaccination.
The new men performed operations on adults only, children who cannot keep their
arms steady during the time of operation were not considered fit subjects in their hands.
The vaccinators visited the persons vaccinated four times in a fortnight, and on each
of these occasions examined the vesicles and enquired after their general health.
Preliminary pro-
ceedings.
8. Preliminary
proceedings.—On reaching Dacca, I paid my respects to the civil
authorities and other influential men of the station, and requested them to exert their
influence in making vaccination popular among those people with whom they came into
contact.
To prepare the minds of the people in general, I thought it prudent to visit several
pauts and inform them of the object of my mission. On each occasion I spent hours in
giving a detailed account of vaccination and inoculation, and in pointing out the superiority
of the former. The people heard me with attention and many promised to get their children
vaccinated.