3
lymph examined; upwards of 1,500 children who had been vaccinated were inspected. The
work was most satisfactory. On the 23rd of the month, owing to the setting in of the
monsoon, I returned to head quarters at Rutnagherry. The parts of the Division which
have not lately been visited, and. which it was my intention to have gone to had I remained,
are the entire of the Southern Concan Districts and Sawunt Warree,—the latter State having
been added to this Division during the year..
NORTHERN DECCAN DIVISION.
Acting Superintendent:—Assistant Surgeon F. H. PLUMPTRE.
Establishment.—Eighteen Vaccinators.
Years.
1859 . . . .
1860 . . . .
Total
Vaccinated.
20,013
21,700
Compared with the
preceding Year.
Increase.
....
1,687
Decrease.
770
....
Success-
fully
Vaccinated.
19,018
20,478
Percentage
of Success.
95.0
94.3
IT is with pleasure I am able to draw attention to the increased number vaccinated during
the past year, as compared with the year previous, presenting a higher number returned than
any year since 1856. An examination of the monthly returns for the year will exhibit that the
credit of this increase is due to my predecessor, as it was during the months he held charge
of the office that the increase is most marked.
The great obstacles to the progress of Vaccination are prejudice and indifference. The mere
returns of figures are an insufficient criterion by which to measure the zeal of those employed.
I believe that a Return of only 50 often represents more harrassing labour on the part of one
Vaccinator, than another of 300, in a district where no prejudice exists. The subject of pre-
judice is peculiar as regards the localities in which it exists. It appears to be greater in large
towns than in small villages. It is irregular as regards its locality, it does not seem to extend
over any general large extent of district, but may exist strongly in one village, whilst in other
villages there is none. The prejudice may be permanent or only temporary. These remarks
have especial reference to the Jooneer Talooka, which I inspected closely in November, and
in which all these features are presented ; thus at Naraingaum, a large town containing a
population of about 4,000, the number vaccinated was only about seven, whilst in the small
villages around, Vaccination had been fairly carried out among the unprotected. The village
of Aosuree, population about 2,000, presents an instance of prejudice being of a temporary
character. In the year 1858, the Vaccinator was unable to obtain a single child to vaccinate;
the year following this place suffered severely from an epidemic of Small-pox, and many-
children died therefrom. By a glance at the youthful population of that village, their ap-
pearance indicates plainly the serious confluent form in which the disease existed. In the
midst of this epidemic, the people requested that a Vaccinator should be sent to them, and
the whole of the then unprotected were vaccinated. I have little doubt that when the
Vaccinator again visits that locality, he will find no difficulty in obtaining subjects. Another
peculiar form of prejudice seems to exist in that Talooka, and partakes of the character of
fatalism ; many who. do not object to having their children vaccinated once, have an objection
to the operation being repeated if it fails the first time.