( 3 )
8. Ranchee Circle.—The Government staff in this circle is small, and
the cost of supervision considerable. The regular agency consists of 23
men in all; but no fewer than 107 ex-inoculators were at work in the division.
The total number of operations is taken at 67,125, or about half the annual
birth-rate of the population. The population of this tract is very sparse and
small, and though there is some improvement in the rate of advance, it is
not clear that the Superintendent works with the energy and zeal that might
be expected. His operations are confined almost exclusively to the district
of Lohardugga, and no supervision seems to be given by him to the work
of other districts. In Hazaribagh 5 ex-inoculators were practising in
Pachumba, apparently without any supervision, while the dispensary vacci-
nation was almost nominal. In Singbhoom and Maunbhoom much has been
done in inducing inoculators to take to the local practice of vaccination, and
it is hoped that the judicious oversight of the Civil Surgeons and district
officers may ensure regularity in the work of these men, and induce them to
rest content with a fixed and moderate fee.
9. Sonthal Pergunnahs.—The Deputy Superintendent, Baboo Kali
Krishna Ghose, has done what he could with the agency at his disposal, viz.
six vaccinators. There were also a few ex-inoculators at work, but the
number of persons protected is estimated at only 14,000, against an annual
birth-rate of 37,773. The question of prohibiting inoculation in the
Rajmehal sub-division will be referred to the Commissioner.
10. The Eastern Bengal Circle.—This is a new circle with a sanc-
tioned staff of seventy-eight vaccinators of all grades. Only thirty-nine were
however employed. 47,549 operations were performed in the Dacca district,
which is a figure in advance of the estimated births, viz. 34,805. The
question raised of extending the Act against inoculation must be considered
by the local civil authorities with reference, not only to the number of
vaccinations, but to the character of some of the communities who would
be affected by it in this quarter.
11. Dispensary Vaccination.—It is very satisfactory to find that the
number of vaccinators employed by municipalities and dispensaries has
increased materially, and that 172 local vaccinators are now at work instead of
100, while the number of operations has nearly doubled. There is, however,
very much to be done in this respect yet, and there can be no doubt, from the
great success which has attended the efforts of Dr. Mathew in Midnapore,
and other zealous officers, that any civil surgeon taking an interest in the
matter, can do much to induce inoculators to take up vaccination as a perma-
nent thing. The Lieutenant-Governor trusts that the Surgeon-General will
again press the subject upon the attention of his subordinates. Bhaugulpore,
Dinapore, Comillah, Kandhi, Kishnaghur, Burdwan, Berhampore, Dur-
bangah, are all places where inoculation is prohibited and improved vaccine
work is much called for.
12. The views maintained by Dr. Brown of the importance of central-
ising and systematising vaccine work, have received the support of Govern-
ment, and been justified by the results ; while the very full examination made
during the year by Dr. Macleod at the request of Government of the amount
of protection afforded in places where inoculation has been prohibited, has
led to conclusions altogether more favorable than we had ventured to antici-
pate. There would seem to be a real diminution in the frequency of small-pox,
and much experience has been gained as to the best way of dealing with
outbreaks when they do occur. Inoculation is becoming slowly, but surely,
discredited over very considerable and yearly increasing areas. On the
whole, progress is everywhere visible, and is satisfactorily maintained.