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The lymph throughout the year has been of excellent quality in all the Collectorates of this
Division; large supplies have been distributed wherever required. Amongst other places, the
station of Dapoolee and the Malwa and Rajpootana Divisions of the Army have been successfully
furnished with lymph. It may be worth while to notice that these supplies were packed for
transmission in the manner suggested by Superintending Surgeon Maxwell of the Madras Army,
courteously brought to my notice by Dr. Morehead, and that I am inclined to attribute these
unusually successful results, not only to the good quality of the lymph, but mainly to its preser-
vation from decomposing causes, as secured by this method, which consists simply in enveloping
the lymph in a little coarsely-powdered quick-lime, wrapped over with foil or wax-cloth.
Small-pox as usual was more or less prevalent at the approach of the hot season, especially
in the villages lying close around Poona and Kirkee, and towards the Western Ghauts;
but I am unable to say to what extent the disease prevailed, though my impression was
that it soon disappeared. Measures were at once taken for vaccinating the unprotected
community wherever the disease appeared, which the apathy of the people renders necessary
by their indifference to vaccination in ordinary times. It seems impossible not to attend to a
district attacked with Small-pox, however recently the Vaccinator may have been over it, and
the people offered the opportunity of having their children vaccinated, which they have at the time
neglected. By these frequent interruptions to regular work, much time is lost; the Vaccinator
is obliged to make use of dry lymph, which is seldom successful, and his stock has to be
renewed. It is evident that vaccination can scarcely be said to be so progressive in this
Division as its extent and population would render desirable. No instance of inoculation has
been brought to my notice, and I have no reason to believe that the practice now exists in
my Division, though doubtless such was the case formerly.
For the more effectual spread of vaccination, one of two things appears necessary : that the
people themselves should be more alive to the benefits of vaccination ; or the Native
Vaccinators chosen from a class who would possess sufficient intelligence and patience to set
aside scruples and overcome apathy. Neither of these conditions are at present fulfilled. The
people are not anxious for vaccination ; and too often the Vaccinator feels that he has done
his duty, when he has visited a village, and been informed by the Patel that none of his
people wish to be vaccinated. I feel convinced that the success of the Vaccinator is
attributable more to his prestige as a servant of Government, and the support he derives as
such from District Officers, than to any anxiety, on the part of the people, to avail themselves
of vaccination, or to any intrinsic merit of his own. The remedy is I think obvious, but
impossible to secure, as long as the present system of remunerating the Department continues.
My tour of inspection did not commence until the end of February, when, leaving
Poorundhur, I passed into the south-eastern districts of the Poona Collectorate, visiting
Sassoor, Beemthunee, Soopeb, Baramuttee, and Indapore Talookas, and inspecting vaccination
therein. Returning northwards, I next proceeded to the Kheir and Vetala districts, and
subsequently went into the Ahmednuggur Zillah, where I felt obliged to proceed to look into
some Returns which had been sent in from that Collectorate, which, on examination before the
Assistant Magistrate, were proved to have been fabricated, and the delinquent was in
consequence dismissed the service. My attention has been more especially directed to the
confirmation of Native Returns, which have gone through a stricter scrutiny than usual,
and have, proved generally satisfactory. I have also been occupied in devising and carrying out
a better system of checking these Returns, and in communication with the several Magistrates
of my Division, and with the sanction of the Director-General Medical Department, the method
before in use has been abandoned. In place of allowing Native Vaccinators to forward with
their Returns certificates of their work from Heads of villages, many of whom are incapable of
writing or reading, Mamlutdars will, in future, certify direct to the Superintendent the
monthly number of vaccinations that have been effected in their respective charges.