NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
REPORT
ON
VACCINATION THROUGHOUT THE BOMBAY
PRESIDENCY AND SIND,
FOR THE YEAR 1860.
Bombay:
PRINTED FOR GOVERNMENT
AT THE
EDUCATION SOCIETY'S PRESS, BYCULLA.
1861.
REPORT
ON
VACCINATION THROUGHOUT THE BOMBAY
PRESIDENCY AND SIND,
FOR THE YEAR 1860.
No. 1919 OF 1861.
From the PRINCIPAL INSPECTOR GENERAL, Medical Department,
To the SECRETARY to GOVERNMENT, General Department.
SIR,—Agreeably to the latter part of the 2nd paragraph of Govern-
ment Resolution No. 521, of the 23rd April 1861, I submitted upon
the 30th May, in my letter No. 1144, a brief sketch of the working of
the Vaccination Department for 1860. I stated that all the returns for
that year had not reached me at the date of the Government Resolution
in April, and that it would take some considerable time to tabulate and
arrange the various details and returns, but that Government were in
possession of the principal facts and statistics before the 1st June.
Anticipating a reply to that reference, no action was taken towards
printing the individual reports until your letter No. 1010, of the 2nd
August, was received, when the proofs were sent to the Press, and I
have now the honour to submit the fuller and more detailed report
for the information of His Excellency the Governor in Council, and
for transmission to the Home Government.
2. The year 1860 was characterised by a large addition to the num-
bers vaccinated over the preceding year, the increase being upwards
of (21,000) twenty-one thousand ; or, in other words, nearly two lacs
and three quarters of individuals were vaccinated in 1860, whilst two
lacs and a little-more than half were vaccinated in 1859. The number
of unsuccessful and doubtful cases was about 8.4 per cent., and hence
about (23,000) twenty-three thousand have to be removed from the
calculation, leaving upwards of two and a half lacs of individuals who
( iv )
(if the reports and returns represent an approximation to the truth) have
been efficiently protected from Small-Pox.
3. The agency which has effected this amount of work has been as
heretofore, the Vaccinating Establishments under Superintendents, Civil
Surgeons, and Native Chiefs.
4. The vaccinations performed by the former, viz. seven Assist-
ant Surgeons as Superintendents, and one Sub-Assistant Surgeon
in Bombay, aided by 112 Native Vaccinators, amounted to 195,132, or,
discarding the unsuccessful cases, to 182,933, i. e., 93.7 per cent. of
success (see Table No. 1, Appendix) ; those performed by Civil Surgeons
at the several Zillah stations, assisted by 20 Native Vaccinators, were
28,408, or 24,170 successful cases, being only 85.1 per cent. of success
(see Table No. 2, Appendix); and lastly, those performed by Vaccina-
tors, to the number of (65) sixty-five, under Native Chiefs' agency (paid
for by the Rajas and Native Chiefs), and whose work is supervised by
the Superintendents, were 50,893, or about 44,334 with success, being
above 87.1 per cent. (see Table No. 3, Appendix).
5. The Superintendents of Vaccination were at their posts nearly
all the year, with the exception of Dr. Lord, who only returned
at the end of 1860 from sick leave to England, but whose duties were
satisfactorily carried on in his absence by Assistant Surgeon Hewlett.
Before the year expired, however, three Superintendents left on medical
certificate for England, viz. Dr. Beatty of the Concan Division,
Dr. Ross, of the Eastern, and Dr. Thorp, of the Western Division of
Guzerat, and to their failing health and departure from India the
meagreness of their reports should be ascribed. Their places were not
filled up by Government; consequently, in the last three months of
the year—and the most favourable period for travelling,—there was no
tour of inspection made either in the Concan or in Guzerat, as the
Civil Surgeons of Tanna, Surat, and Ahmedabad who were in charge
of the Superintendent's offices, could not leave their station medical
duties.
6. Assistant Surgeon Plumptre, the Acting Superintendent of the
Northern Deccan Divison, made a careful inspection of the work in
the Ahmednuggur and neighbouring Collectorates, both before and
after the monsoon. It will be seen at page 3 of the following Reports
that he shows a very satisfactory increase of the number vaccinated,
and which I believe to be due to tact and judgment in his inter-
course with the people, and to zeal in the discharge of his duties. The
observations on the difficulty of propagating vaccination have con-
( v )
siderable interest; and the remark that in a part of the country hostile
to vaccination more labour is expended in vaccinating 50 than 500 in
districts where no prejudice exists, is very just. Assistant Surgeon
Plumptre will have shortly a larger circle to attend to, the Tanna
Collectorate having been added to his Division, under the new arrange-
ments regarding vaccination lately sanctioned by Government.
7. The Southern Deccan Division was carefully gone over last year
by the Acting Superintendent, Dr. Peach, and I point with satisfaction
to his interesting Report at pages 4 to 7. This large Division is
now constituted the "Southern Circle," and has added to it the Rutna-
gherry Collectorate, and hence it will require increased exertions on
the part of both the Superintendent and his Deputies.
S. For many years past the energetic Superintendent in Sind,
Dr. Martin, has shown progressively increasing numbers of persons
vaccinated. In 1860 there were upwards of 10,000 individuals vacci-
nated over the previous year. It is true that prejudice to the operation
has almost vanished from the province, and that vaccination is much
more practised than formerly, but nevertheless it must be remarked
that it greatly preponderates in favour of children over one year of
age. Vaccination of infants under that age amounted only to about
16,000,whilst there were 43,000 above one year old, and probably many
of them were adults (see Table of Ages in the Appendix). Dr. Martin's
report, as usual, repays a careful perusal.
9. In the Presidency Town of Bombay Sub-Assistant Surgeon
Anunta Chundroba was absent for two months, owing to illness,
otherwise he has maintained satisfactorily the efficiency of vaccination.
I anticipate, before the close of the present year, a special report on
the plan of Dr. Peet as carried on in Bombay, when the latter part
of paragraph 6 of Government Resolution No. 521, of the 23rd April,
will be specially reported on.
10. I found it desirable to introduce during the year a form of
daily employment report, as giving me a clearer insight into the
movements of Superintendents than I before possessed. The return,
which is submitted upon the 1st day of every month, shows, opposite to
each day,—the Zillah, Talooka, or Station in which the Superintendent
is located; the distance in miles from the last station he has travelled ;
the Vaccinator whose work is being inspected, and the number of
children the Superintendent himself has seen. The return was not at
first fully understood, or acted up to, by Superintendents, and was only
( vi )
made use of for a portion of the year, otherwise it was my intention to
have an analysis of the return made and published, and hereafter such
a course will be adopted.
11. I reproduce the Despatch No. 5, of the 20th February 1860,
from the Secretary of State for India, relative to Superintendents pass-
ing in the Native languages—
" I have to express my approval of your orders that Superintendents of Vaccination
should be required to pass an examination in the Vernacular language of the District
in which they are employed."
12. Regarding the Native Vaccinators, I have still to report, with
regret, that I have had summarily to discharge several upon the
representations of Superintendents for dishonesty in making false
returns, and that this radical evil baffles all attempts to remove it by
milder means.
13. But the dismissal of a Vaccinator brings with it only present
punishment, as, having no superannuation pension to look forward to,
his discharge from Government employ is not regarded in the same
serious light as it would be if thereby he forfeited a certain provision
for the future. Again, the want of a superannuation pension tends to
keep in the Department many good men who are long past active
exertion, and who are physically unfit for the efficient performance of
their duties. There are two or more such instances at the present time
of Head Vaccinators who have been all their lives in the Department,
are now worn out from age and infirmity, and should make way for
more active men, They draw the highest rate of pay, viz. Rupees (24)
twenty-four per mensem. The Superintendents however hesitate to
recommend their dismissal, knowing that thereby the Vaccinators so
discharged must starve from sheer want. It appears to, me that
Native Vaccinators should be classed as uncovenated servants, and
should be brought under the same rules regarding pension. Having
before pressed this subject on the attention of Government, I can only
at the present time recommend the claims of Native Vaccinators for
favourable consideration, trusting that His Excellency the Governor in
Council may be pleased to pass some definite orders on the subject.
14. I beg to refer to Table No. 5 of the Appendix regarding " Small-
Pox," the results of which are, I think, extremely satisfactory. Amongst
European Troops there were out of a strength of 16,000 only (42) forty-
two cases, and four 4 deaths; amongst Native Troops there were only
(55) fifty-five cases, and two (2) deaths, out of a strength of 37,000, and
only one case, and no death, in all the Jails of this Presidency. In
( vii )
the Civil Hospitals there were (55) fifty-five cases of Small-Pox treated,
and (15) fifteen deaths, the greater number of which occurred at Aden.
15. Full details of every particular regarding Vaccination will be
found in the Appendix, and it will be seen that the different " sexes"
vaccinated stood in the relation of 54 males to 46 females per 100; and
of " castes," there were Hindoos about 70 per cent., Mussulmans 25,
other castes, 3.8, Christian 0.4, and Parsees 0.2, per cent; and with
respect to " age," there were 67.5 above one year, and 32.5 per cent.
below one year, showing that the necessity for infantine vaccination is
still unrecognised by the mass of the people.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient Servant,
B. P. ROOKE, M.D.,
Principal Inspector-General,
Medical Department.
Bombay, 22nd September 1861.
P. S.—Since the above Report was in type, your letter No. 1366, of the
28th September 1861, has been received, requesting that steps may be taken
to ensure the despatch of their reports by Superintendents on the 1st of
March of each year, to allow the general report being forwarded to Govern-
ment on the 1st May, which I beg to state shall be attended to.
30th September 1861.
( viii )
INDEX TO THE FOLLOWING REPORTS.
VACCINATION UNDER SUPERINTENDENTS—
Presidency
Division .. .. .. .. .. ..
Concan
do. .. .. .. .. .. ..
Northern Deccan do. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
Southern Deccan do. .. .. .. .. ..
Eastern Division, Guzerat .. .. .. .. ..
Western Division, Guzerat .. .. .. .. ..
Sind Division .. .. .. .. .. ..
Kattywar Circle .. .. .. .. ..
VACCINATION IN THE NATIVE STATES—
Southern Deccan Division .. .. .. ..
Eastern Guzerat .. .. .. .. .. ..
Western Guzerat .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
Sawunt Warree .. .. .. .. .. ..
Bhooj, Kutch .. .. .. .. .. ..
Peint (Nassick) .. .. .. .. .. ..
VACCINATION UNDER CIVIL SURGEONS—
Tanna .. .. .. ..
Poona .. .. .. ..
Ahmednuggur .. .. .. ..
Sattara .. .. .. .. ..
Sholapore .. .. .. .. ..
Dhoolia .. .. .. .. ..
Nassick .. .. .. ..
Ahmedabad .. .. .. ..
Kaira .. .. .. .. ..
Rajcote .. .. .. ..
PAGE
18
18
19
20
20
21
22
22
23
24
Surat .. .. .. .. ..
Broach .. .. .. ..
Belgaum .. .. .. ..
Dharwar .. .. .. .. ..
Kolapore .. .. .. ..
Rutnagherry .. .. .. ..
Kurrachee .. .. .. ..
Hydrabad .. .. .. .. ..
Shikarpore .. .. .. ..
Aden .. .. .. .. ..
APPENDIX—
Vaccination under Superintendents
..
..
..
..
Do.
do. Civil Surgeons .. .. .. .. ..
Do.
do. Native Chiefs .. .. .. ..
General Abstract of Vaccination .. .. .. ..
Table of Small-pox .. .. .. ..
Table of Ages .. .. .. .. ..
PAGE
1
2
3
4
7
7
9
11
12
16
15
12
17
17
24
25
25
26
26
27
28
28
29
29
Table No. 1
No. 2
No. 3
No. 4
No. 5
No. 6
VACCINATION UNDER SUPERINTENDENTS.
PRESIDENCY DIVISION.
Local Superintendent.—Sub-Assistant
Surgeon ANUNTA CHUNDROBA.
Establishment.—Three
Vaccinators and Seven Peons.
Years.
1859 . . . .
1860 . . . .
Total
Vaccinated.
7,999
8,027
Compared with the
preceding Year.
Increase.
....
28
Decrease.
710
....
Success-
fully
Vaccinated.
6,532
6,760
Percentage
of
81.6
84.2
THE past is the second complete year of vaccine operations in accordance with the scheme
proposed by Dr. Peet. Eight thousand and twenty-seven persons have been vaccinated; being
an excess of 28 over the number for 1859, and 303 over the average number for the past five
years. Of these, 4,458 were males, and 3,569 females ; 661 were Christians, 5,879 Hindoos,
1,141 Mahomedans, 307 Parsees, and 39 of other castes; 3,502 were under, and 4,525 were
above one year of age. Of the latter, however, only 245 were above 10 years of age. Of the
total number of operations performed, 6,760 were successful, or a percentage of 84.2 on
the total vaccinated; 682 were failures, and 585 doubtful. Of those returned as doubtful
a great many, if not all, were probably successful, as parents, in their anxiety to prevent
their children having matter taken from them, remove or conceal them, so that the result
cannot be positively ascertained ; consequently they are returned as doubtful, the percentage
of successful is thus, to a certain extent, lowered.
The operations of the Vaccine Department were, during the past year, materially affected
by several circumstances. It has been often remarked that, apathetic as the generality of
natives are regarding their children being vaccinated, the prevalence of Small-pox does not fail
to rouse them to a sense of danger, and they throng the vaccinating stations in great numbers.
During the past year Small-pox did not prevail to any considerable extent; consequently
the great incentive to their having their children protected being wanting, the attendance at
the stations was comparatively small. There was, besides, great prevalence of measles,
fevers, and hooping cough during those months, when generally the attendance of
children to be vaccinated may be expected to be greatest. It has also been usual for Coolies
proceeding to the Mauritius to be vaccinated previous to their departure ; and this, to a
certain extent, in former years, increased the number of vaccinated. During the past year,
however, the number of such persons vaccinated was very limited. Even the Arabs, from on
board the bugalows from Muscat and other parts of the Arabian coast, were not so
numerous as usual. All these circumstances conspired to prevent the number from coming
up to what was expected at the commencement of the year. The continued supineness of the
A
4
I venture to think that the system of constantly fining the establishment for neglect of
duty is a mistake, and records in the office bear me out in the opinion; for it appears that in
one year the recoveries for fines amounted to Rs. 87, and yet the number vaccinated that year
was actually less than the year preceding, when it amounted to only Rs. 8, a confirmatory
proof that fines do not tend to increased exertion. If a member of the establishment is
found so thoroughly indolent that he can only be kept to his work by repeated fining, it is
better to warn him, and if that is unattended with benefit, to discharge him, and make room
for one of the many candidates for employment.
SOUTHERN DECCAN DIVISION.
Acting Superintendent.—Assistant
Surgeon W. PEACH, M.D.
Establishment.—Eighteen
Vaccinators.
Years.
1859 . . . .
1860 . . . .
Total
Vaccinated.
13,318
13,213
Compared with the
preceding Year.
Increase.
....
....
Decrease.
1,967
105
Success-
fully
Vaccinated.
12,278
12,055
Percentage
of Success.
92.3
91.2
THE decrease in the number of operations, compared with those of the preceding year,
although trifling (105), is to be regretted, as it shows that Vaccination is not advancing in
popular favour with the natives of this division. Circumstances connected with the estab-
lishment have doubtless rendered it less efficient than it might have been during the year.
The death of the Head Vaccinator in October 1859 caused a vacancy, which, owing to a doubt
in the mind of my predecessor as to the expediency of promoting to the highest grade any
of the subordinates, was not filled up until the month of June of this year, and his sub-
stitute was inexperienced, and consequently the returns were diminished. Three of the
establishment have been dismissed during the year, and their places filled by younger
and less able hands; four Vaccinators have been absent at different times on account
of sickness, their absence in the aggregate extending over a period of thirteen months,
by which the services of one Vaccinator may be said to have been entirely lost. The
above circumstances have all, to a certain extent, influenced the returns, as regards numbers.
Want of zeal and energy, as well as of ability, on the part of some of the establishment, have
probably also had an effect; nevertheless, I think that the real cause of the non-extension of
Vaccination in this Division is to be found chiefly in the prejudices of the population, and the
apathy and indifference evinced by the native officials generally. The following table exhi-
bits the amount of work performed in the different Collectorates by Goverment Vaccinators,
the number employed in each Collectorate, with the average number of operations during the
year. It will be seen that the work in the Belgaum and Sattara Zillahs exceeds considerably
that in the Dharwar and Sholapore; the average in these districts, especially the last, being
very small. The difference observable in the percentage of success appears to depend upon
the larger number of doubtful cases returned by the Vaccinators in the Sattara and Sholapore
districts :—
7
given. Want of energy and zeal on the part of the Vaccinators—as establishments are at
present constituted—can only be met by more effective supervision, but the Division is of that
extent, that it is impossible for the Superintendent to visit each Vaccinator more than once in
two years, if he can accomplish this. A higher rate of pay, with the prospect of a small pension,
would do very much in bringing forward a superior class of persons as Vaccinators, who might,
with occasional inspection, think it worth their while to be zealous, energetic, and honest:
but much has already been written on this subject, and it is unnecessary for me to say more.
EASTERN DIVISION, GUZERAT.
Superintendent.—Asssistant Surgeon C. Ross. (S. C. to England.)
Establishment.—Seventeen Vaccinators.
Years.
1859 . . . .
1860 . . . .
Total
Vaccinated.
21,871
20,574
Compared with the
preceding Year.
Increase.
1,368
....
Decrease.
....
1,297
Success-
fully
Vaccinated.
18,894
17,479
Percentage
of Success.
86.3
84.9
THE Superentendent states that during his tour, extending from the beginning of the year
to the monsoon, " I visited all the Vaccinators in the Division,
*****
constantly recurring attacks of fever compelled me to return to head-quarters about the
middle of May. I was, in consequence, prevented from extending my tour to the Rajpeepla and
Rewa Kanta States, which have been unvisited for years." After the monsoon Dr. Ross left on
sick certificate to England, and the temporary charge of the office devolved upon the Garrison
Surgeon, Surat.
WESTERN DIVISION, GUZERAT.
Superintendent.—Assistant Surgeon R. T. THORP, M.D. (S. C. to England.)
Establishment.—Fifteen Vaccinators.
Years.
1859....
1860....
Total
Vaccinated.
20,802
22,020
Compared with the
preceding Year.
Increase.
....
1,218
Decrease.
2
....
Success-
fully
Vaccinated.
18,693
20,068
Percentage
of Success.
89.8
91.1
THE Civil Surgeon, Ahmedabad, in temporary charge of the office at the close of 1860, states
that the Superintendent was on his tour from January to June, visiting the Prantej, Morasa,
10
ral fact as encouraging to the efforts of the establishment, and it is hoped as matter of satis-
faction, as far as it goes, to Government. Epidemic Small-pox, of a more or less severe type,
seems never for any considerable period to leave the Province. In last year's Report I drew
attention to a serious epidemic in the Sacra Talooka of the Jerruck District. The commence-
ment of this year found the disease at Sukkur among the families of the 2nd Belooch Regi-
ment, en route to Hydrabad; no mischief was done, though two large towns, Sukkur and
Roree, may be supposed to have been in danger from the presence of so many cases of Small-
pox. Both these important towns are fairly protected by Vaccination. In the course of the
year occasional or sporadic cases of Small-pox were reported, and towards its close in Novem-
ber, a tolerably active epidemic was brought to my notice by the Civil Authorities in the
Halla District at Shahdadpore, subsequently appearing in the town and neighbourhood of
Halla. It was reported to me that one or two deaths occurred daily, but actual examination
did not bring satisfactory evidence that there had been so great a mortality from Small-pox.
It is usual to suppose that the average number of deaths to cases is 1 in 6, so that, had there
been twenty deaths (and more than this number had been reported) there should have been
about 100 cases left, more or less scarred by the disease, to support the bill of mortality.
In the town of Shadadpore there were about 350 cases of Vaccination, and on two occasions
a miscellaneous collection of people, young and old, were gathered about me, probably the
larger proportion of the inhabitants of the town came under my personal notice, but I could
not discover a single case of recent Small-pox, and in all the neighbouring villages into which
my work took me, no sign of recent disease was observed. There are several affections com-
mon to the young, any or all of which may be, and indeed are, frequently mistaken for true
Small-pox by the people—" Once," " Lacra," " Kakra," are the native terms for these affec-
tions. It may be remarked that all the common diseases known in Europe have their types
in Sind, with singularly slight modifications from climate and colour of skin. Reviewing the
work of the year, it is satisfactory to be able to state that the people are increasingly favorable
to Vaccination, and that the Vaccinators move about among them without exciting any ill-feeling
of their work, or raising up a spirit of resistance to the propagation of a great benefit.