NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
1857.—TABLE OF AGES.
Vaccination in 1857, arranged according to Ages, whether performed under or above
One Year of Age.
ESTABLISHMENTS, &C.
I
Superintendents
II
Civil Surgeons and others ....
III Native Chiefs Agency ......
Total ..........
I— Superintendents.
Presidency Division .....
Concan „ .....
Northern Deccan „.....
Southern „ „ .....
Western Guzerat „ .....
Eastern
„
„
....
Sind „ ........
Kattywar Circle „ ......
II— Civil Surgeons and others.
Tannah ....................
Alibaugh ....................
Bandora ..................
Poona ....................
Sattara ....................
Ahmednuggur ............
Nassick ....................
Dhoolia ..................
Ahmedabad ..................
Kaira ....................
Rajcote ....................
Surat ....................
Broach ..................
Bhooj ....................
Belgaum ................
Dharwar ....................
Sholapoor ..................
Kolapoor ..................
Rutnagherry ..................
Vingorla ....................
Kurrachee ..................
Hyderabad ....................
Shikarpoor ....................
Kurrachee Dispensary ..............
Ditto
Jail Establishment..
Hyderabad Civil Hospital Es-
tablishment....................
Meerpoor ....................
Mahomed Khans Tanda ..........
Jerruck ..................
Halla ..................
Roree ....................
Taroosha ................
Aden ................
Bushire ................
III— Native Chiefs' Agency.
Kolapoor,&c ....................
Mahee Kanta ....................
Rewa Kanta ....................
Peint (Nassick )..................
Sawunt Waree ....................
Rajcote,&c ....................
AGE.
Under one
year.
50,918
10,607
13,630
75,155
4,044
5,689
3,651
3,991
15,143
4,759
12,863
778
60
23
42
529
560
93
899
659
1,292
483
195
596
807
5
193
377
260
825
164
80
498
797
771
9
1
..
2
5
39
5
154
10
41
133
2,155
6,286
1,799
37
811
2,542
Above one
year.
123,450
17,631
30,383
171,464
2,703
28,067
16,912
11,541
13,714
20,804
27,914
1,795
194
46
34
1,163
673
1,019
533
265
1,490
965
329
1,298
728
33
334
1,266
1,328
2,372
807
122
153
729
162
8
73
173
29
5
222
9
115
32
860
62
6,568
9,003
5,957
268
5,291
3,296
DIFFERENCE.
Under.
..
..
..
..
1,341
..
..
..
1,429
..
..
..
..
..
8
..
..
..
366
394
..
..
..
..
79
..
..
..
..
..
..
345
68
609
1
..
..
..
..
..
..
39
..
..
71
..
..
..
..
..
..
Above.
72,532
7,024
16,753
96,309
..
22,378
13,261
7,550
..
16,045
15,051
1,017
134
23
..
634
113
926
..
..
198
482
134
702
..
28
141
889
1,068
1,547
643
42
..
..
72
173
27
..
183
4
..
22
819
..
4,413
2,717
4,158
231
4,480
754
TOTAL VACCI-
NATED.
174,368
28,238
44,013
246,619
6,747
33,756
20,563
15,532
28,857
25,563
40,777
2,573
254
69
76
1,692
1,233
1,112
1,432
924
2,782
1,448
524
1,894
1,535
38
527
1,643
1,588
3,197
971
202
651
1,526
933
17
74
173
31
10
261
14
269
42
901
195
8,723
15,289
7,756
305
6,102
5,838
REPORT
ON
VACCINATION THROUGHOUT THE BOMBAY
PRESIDENCY AND SIND,
FOR THE YEARS 1858 AND 1859
Bombay:
PRINTED FOR GOVERNMENT
AT THE
EDUCATION SOCIETY'S PRESS, BYCULLA.
1861.
REPORT
ON
VACCINATION THROUGHOUT THE BOMBAY
PRESIDENCY AND SIND,
FOR THE YEARS 1858 AND 1859.
Bombay:
PRINTED FOR GOVERNMENT
AT THE
EDUCATION SOCIETY'S PRESS, BYCULLA.
1861.
(iii)
REPORT
ON
VACCINATION THROUGHOUT THE BOMBAY
PRESIDENCY AND SIND,
FOR 1858 AND 1859.
No. 2673 OF 1860.
From the PRINCIPAL INSPECTOR-GENERAL, MEDICAL DEPARTMENT,
To the SECRETARY to GOVERNMENT, General Department.
SIR,—By my letter, No.2427 of 9th October 1858, I had the honor to
submit to Government the Annual Report of Vaccination for the years
1856 and 1857, for transmission to the Home Government, and by your
predecessor's letter, No. 2756 of 12th November 1858, it was intimated
that the Report was approved by Government, and ordered to be distri-
buted in the usual manner.
2. I have now the honor to submit a Report for the years 1858
and 1859, with a similar object in view, and to explain that the very
considerable delay in presenting the Report in a printed form, as directed
under former instructions, has arisen from the Government Printing
Press having been employed during the last few months upon more
urgent business.
3. The practice of framing a single report of the vaccination opera-
tions for two years was, for the first time, introduced in 1858, owing to the
pressing calls upon my time during the years since 1857, and is repeated
on the present occasion for a similar reason. I trust, however, that
henceforth circumstances will permit of an Annual Report being
drawn up, although, by combining the figures and results of two years,
a considerable saving is effected in type and in matter.
4. With these observations, I proceed to review the state of Vaccina-
tion in the Bombay Presidency during the years 1858 and 1859, explain-
ing that, although I have been favoured by Deputy Inspectors-General
( iv )
of Hospitals with their separate Divisional Reports, I have not consi-
dered it necessary to publish them, preferring to allow the working of
the Department to be judged of by the reports of the medical officers
who are engaged in vaccination. But with respect to the subjoined
reports of Superintendents and Civil Surgeons, it should be understood
that they are only selections from the original reports, condensed and
arranged with the object of economising space, and avoiding unne-
cessary prolixity. I trust, however, that they will be found sufficiently
interesting to merit an attentive perusal.
5. In the year 1858, there were 257,567 vaccinations performed
throughout the Bombay Presidency by the agency mentioned in detail in
the Appendix [see Table No. 4.] In the year 1859 the number recorded
is 252,760, being higher than in either of the years 1857 or 1856, when
246,687 and 247,749 were the numbers respectively shown.
6. The average percentage of successful vaccinations in each of these
years stood as follows:—
[1856—90.6,] [1857—91.6,] [1858—91.0,] [1859—91.2;] that is about one
failure occurred in every ten operations, which, if the returns are strictly
trustworthy, proves that the lymph employed has suffered no deteriora-
tion, and that the operations have been properly performed.
7. In the absence of statistics of population and of a registration of
births, it is impossible to judge whether the annual average of about
250,000 vaccinations in the Bombay Presidency and Sind is in just
proportion to the requirements of the country. The numbers, however,
have never been exceeded, except in 1855, when nearly 260,000
vaccinations were recorded.
8. But according to the tables in former and present reports, it
appears that the largest number of those who were protected from
Small-pox by vaccination having proved " successful" was in 1858,
when 234,500 persons were considered to have received the prophy-
lactic in a manner to ensure their future immunity from Small-pox;
whilst the average protection for some years appears to have been about
230,000; that is to say, out of the 250,000 operations performed 20,000
failed.
9. It is extremely doubtful whether too much stress is not laid upon
the necessity of showing large numbers, and whether it does not lead,
in many instances, to fictitious names being entered on the registers, and
thence onward to erroneous statistics and conclusions.
10. The ground-work upon which the whole fabric of Vaccination
rests is the trustworthiness of the agents employed ; and in spite of the
most elaborate and carefully executed system of check, there are many
( v )
occasions when false returns can be rendered. During the last two
years, I regret to say that four Vaccinators have been dismissed from
the Service for falsification of returns, and others have received less
severe punishment.
11. Under the eye of a vigilant Superintendent of a Division, it
rarely happens that any system of deception can be kept up for a
lengthened time, and the utility of European supervision is no where
so apparent as in counteracting the tendency which many Native
Vaccinators indulge in, of exaggerating either the number or the success
of their operations.
12. The large extent of territory, viz. the whole of Western India
and Sind, being divided into only seven Divisions,* renders it almost
impossible for the Superintendent of each Division to exercise a greater
or more efficient control than at present; whilst the eight months of fair
season does not suffice to permit him to travel over the portion of the
country committed to his care, and to inspect thoroughly the progress
of Vaccination therein.
13. The periodical visitation of the Superintendent is an immense
stimulus to the flagging energies of a Native Vaccinator; whilst the
careful scrutiny of the work performed, and the rigid examination and
inquiries instituted, forbid prolonged deception, and render the present
system of conducting Vaccination in the Bombay Presidency almost as
perfect as can be devised.
14. It will be seen by the tables that, out of the total number vacci-
nated in each year, by far the largest proportion of the work was per-
formed under Superintendents ; thus, in 1858 there were 183,486 out of
about 250,000 persons vaccinated, i. e. in the proportion of 71.2 per
cent.; and in 1859 there were nearly 178,000 out of about 250,000, or in
the proportion of 70.3 per cent. The next largest sphere of conducting
Vaccination operations is through the agency of the Native Chiefs, and
about 28,000 individuals annually receive the benefit of Vaccination
through the liberality of the Chieftains, Jageerdhars, &c. of Western
India, and that in the remotest and wildest parts of the country. The
smallest number vaccinated is under Civil Surgeons in the chief sudder
stations. Civil Surgeons, however, have only a very limited establishment,
viz. one Vaccinator allowed to each, or a total of twenty, as will be seen
by reference to Table No. 2 in the Appendix. At many places, however,
there are no special agents, as will be also seen by reference to the
same table, and much credit is therefore due to the medical officers
and subordinates who thus assiduously prosecute Vaccination. The
* The Presidency town of Bombay not included.
( vi)
number of Native Vaccinators employed by the Native Chiefs under the
direction of the Superintendents of Vaccination was, in 1858 fifty-two, and
in 1859 sixty-five, the increase being due to the enlargement of the
Kattywar Circle. The number of Native Vaccinators directly under
Superintendents was, in 1858 one hundred and nineteen, and in 1859
one hundred and twelve, the diminution arising from the introduc-
tion of the new system under which Vaccination in the Presidency
town of Bombay is conducted.
15. By reference to Table No. 1 in the Appendix, the specific work
performed by each Superintendent can be traced ; and it will be observed
that in 1858 a very large increase took place in the Concan Division—
upwards of 12,000 over the previous year,—and that it fell again by
half that number in the following year, 1859.
16. Dr. Beatty, the energetic Superintendent of that Division, attri-
butes the increase partly " to the stimulus which the newly-proposed
system of payment by percentage has created amongst the Vaccina-
tors.'' See page 6* of the Superintendent's Report.
17. During 1857 and 1858, at the urgent solicitation of Dr. Beatty,
Government was pleased to sanction, as an experimental measure, a
plan of rewarding Native Vaccinators for work performed above an
average number, and Dr. Beatty adopted an ingenious method of
guaranteeing that the operation had been really performed, by issuing
certificates arranged like a banker's cheque-book to that effect, on
coloured paper, to each individual operated on.
18. These receipts were afterwards collected and compared with the
counterpart left in the book, and were numbered and registered accord-
ingly. The system had a fair trial for nearly two whole seasons, and
was vigorously prosecuted by its author ; but it was found to be cumber-
some in practice ; to involve additional labour and expense ; to necessi-
tate the Superintendent himself seeing that every child was properly
registered ; and was not free from the imputation that it was a premium
to render exaggerated reports and returns. It was finally abandoned
after certain of the Vaccinators had been remunerated, as promised, for
their increased exertions. The whole correspondence was laid before
Government separately.
19. In 1858 there was an increase in the Sind Division of upwards of
6,000 vaccinated, and the next year this augmentation was followed up
by a still further increase of upwards of 2,000. Eversince the appoint-
ment of Assistant Surgeon Martin to the superintendency of Vacci¬
* In the foot-note it is stated the subject is noticed in another place, referring to the
present observations.
( vii )
nation in Sind, there has been a great and steady augmentation,
as will be seen by the Table on the margin at page 26 of the Report
for 1858, but which does not include the still larger returns for 1859.
There can be no doubt that Dr. Martin has gained the confidence of
the people, and is entitled to great praise.
* Superintendent. As-
sistant Surgeon Ross.
† Superintendent. As-
sistant Surgeon Thorpe.
20. With the exception of Sind, there is a perceptible falling off
under the other Superintendents. It is true
that an increase is shown in Eastern Guzerat,*
but this is only when compared with the
previous year, in which there was a diminution of upwards of 5,000.
In the Western Guzerat Division† the num-
bers were diminished by 8,000 in 1858. Only
about 20,000 persons were vaccinated in that
Division each year.
21. Various reasons are assigned by the Superintendents for a
diminution of numbers; and the most common and influential causes are
sickness amongst the Establishment, and the prevalence of cholera
amongst the inhabitants of the country.
22. Another reputed cause is the absence of Small-pox from the
neighbourhood ; and it seems a well-established fact that, when Small-
pox is prevailing in any locality, the people readily and willingly receive
Vaccination.
23. A perusal of the subjoined Reports will show that much of the
distaste for Vaccination arises from apathy and indifference on the part
of the people ; but it is very doubtful whether more general success
than at present attends the spread of Vaccination could be expected
under the circumstances in which the prophylactic is introduced into
this country, and whether there is not almost an equal neglect of the
practice in all parts of the world.
24. The principal difficulty to be overcome is the great repugnance
entertained to lymph being removed from the arm on the seventh or eighth
day, for the purpose of propagating the virus to others ; but this preju-
dice is not confined to the uneducated natives of Western India, or to
the illiterate inhabitants of any country; it is shared by many whose
social position here and elsewhere would, it might be supposed,
elevate them above such prejudices. To a certain degree, however, it is
only an exaggerated form of the natural instinct for the preservation of
their offspring, inherent in all, although carried in this country to a
prejudicial extent.
25. The statistics exhibited in the Tables in the Appendix, relative to
''sex"and " age," are interesting in some measure; thus, the proportion per
( viii )
cent. of the total vaccinated in 1858 was about 55 males to 45 females,
and in 1859 about 54.5 males to 45.5 females ; whilst as regards " age" in
1858, out of 100 vaccinated there were about 32 under one year of age,
and 68 above that period ; and in 1859 there were nearly 33 under one
year and 67 above that age, demonstrating that, in the year 1859, some
slight progress was made in prosecuting Vaccination at an earlier period
of life, and in the female sex, than in the year 1858. Full details, with
respect to age, will be found in the last Table in the Appendix.
26. Amongst the general subjects connected with Vaccination in 1858,
mention must be made of the exertions of Dr. Morehead, when acting
as Superintending Surgeon, Poona, to introduce a more thorough system
of Vaccination into the Military Bazars and Regimental Lines. Although
this is not the place to enter at length into the subject, yet there can be no
doubt, I think, that the diminished mortality from Small-pox in 1859
compared to 1858, as shown in the Table at the end, is due, in a great
measure, to the introduction of this useful measure, and to the zeal
with which it was carried out. At every large military station a Vac-
cinator was placed under the Staff Surgeon or Senior Medical Officer,
for the purpose of vaccinating in the Military Bazars; and although
these agents have been withdrawn from .several of the stations, they are
kept up with great advantage at Poona and the stations in Rajpootana.
27. During the year 1858 attention was given to two subjects
brought before Government—the utility of " Magnetized needles" for
Vaccination; and "obtaining vaccine matter direct from the cow,"—
in order to keep up a supply of genuine lymph. On the former subject
the reports were altogether unfavourable, and on the latter I now produce,
for permanent record, the report I then submitted :—
ON THE QUESTION OF INOCULATING COWS IN THIS COUNTRY WITH
VACCINE MATTER BROUGHT FROM EUROPE, WITH THE VIEW
OF OBTAINING FRESH VACCINE LYMPH.
1. If Cows in this country have been observed to be naturally subject to Cow-pox.—
On this point there is not much information with respect to Western India, and the
records of the late Medical Board do not throw any light on the question. Had the
fact of cows being subject to cow-pox naturally been observed in the Bombay Presi-
dency, it doubtlessly would have been recorded. A disease amongst cows in Bengal
of a variolous nature has been long known ; and in the Report of Vaccination in Bengal,
from 1827 to 1844, by Dr. Stewart, the second part is devoted to a notice of the.
various forms of epizootic disease amongst cows. There is a description of the
vaccine disease, or the cow-pox, among the cattle of the town of Moorshedabad in 1832,
by Dr. McPherson, and his successful employment and distribution of this lymph
throughout India. Although some doubt is thrown on the genuineness of the lymph
( xi)
India, or produced artificially by the inoculation of the animal by either cow or small
pox. The Director-General has no hesitation in expressing his conviction, that the
employment of lymph obtained from Europe is the best means of propagating Vacci-
nation, and supplies from the Honorable Court (overland) in June, July, and August,
the Director-General considers will suffice.
28. In 1858 attention was directed to the importance of Convicts to
the Straits Settlements being duly protected by vaccination, and the
following extract from a despatch from the late Honorable Court was
communicated for information and guidance :—
" We observe that orders for vaccinating Convicts under sentence of transportation
have been issued by all the local Governments except that of Bombay, which is
prepared to adopt the same course with the approval of the Government of India. We
think that you should take an early opportunity of issuing instructions on the subject
to the Government of Bombay."
29. During 1859 a despatch from the Secretary of State, relative to
rendering Vaccination compulsory previous to admission to Govern-
ment schools was received, of which the following is a copy :—
"You were informed in paragraph 47 of the Court's despatch, dated 22nd July
(No. 41) 1857, that the Home Authorities were not prepared to sanction a rule making
Vaccination a necessary condition of admission to the public service. The proposal
to require all children to be vaccinated before they can be admitted to a Government
school is equally opposed to the principles hitherto acted on—of trusting for the
spread of Vaccination to measures of persuasion and encouragement; and it is open to
the still further objection that it would be likely to add to the unpopularity of the
Government schools. It is necessary therefore that the idea of insisting on such a
condition be at once relinquished."
30. During this year an endeavour was made to introduce Vaccina-
tion into the dominions of His Highness the Sultan of Muscat, but
the experiment was not successful.
I have the honor to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient Servant,
B. P. ROOKE, M.D.,
Principal Inspector-General,
Medical Department.
Bombay, 5th December 1860.
( xii )
INDEX TO THE FOLLOWING REPORTS.
PAGE
VACCINATION UNDER SUPERINTENDENTS—
Presidency
Division—1858 and 1859
Concan
do.
Northern Deccan do.
Southern Deccan do.
Eastern Division, Guzerat
Western Division, Guzerat
Sind Division
do.
do.
do.
do.
do.
do.
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
1
6
12
16
20
22
26
VACCINATION IN THE NATIVE STATES—
Southern Deccan Division—1858 and 1859
Eastern Guzerat
Western Guzerat
Kattywar Circle
Sawunt Warree
Bhooj, Warree
Peint (Nassick)
do.
do.
do.
do.
do.
do.
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
30
31
32
33
38
39
40
VACCINATION UNDER CIVIL SURGEONS—
PAGE
Tanna
Poona
..
..
Ahmednuggur
Sattara
Sholapore
Dhoolia
Nassick
..
..
..
..
Ahmedabad
Concan
Rajcote
Surat
Broach
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
40
41
41
42
43
45
46
46
47
48
49
50
Belgaum
Dharwar
Kolapore
..
..
..
Rutnagherry
Kurrachee
Hydrabad
Shikarpoor
Aden
..
..
..
..
Mahableshwur
Alibaugh
Vingorla
Bushire
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
57
58
59
60
60
APPENDIX—
Vaccination under Superintendents
Do.
do. Civil Surgeons
Do.
do. Native Chiefs
General Abstract of Vaccination..
Table of Small-pox
Table of Ages..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
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.
1858....
1859....
Total
Vaccinated.
8,709
7,999
Compared with the
preceding Year.
Increase.
1,962
....
Decrease.
....
710
Success-
fully
Vaccinated.
6,996
6,532
Percentage
of Success.
80.3
81.6
The operations are entirely confined to the Islands of Bombay and Colaba.
REPORT FOR 1858.
THE new scheme of Vaccination of Bombay was commenced on the 1st October 1858; the
Report of that year therefore only embraces the last three months. The following are the
Rules published in the Government Gazette of 1st December 1858 :—
Rules.
1. The charge of the Vaccination Department in the Island of Bombay is entrusted to a
Native Sub-Assistant Surgeon, under the designation of " Local Superintendent of Vaccination."
2. The Local Superintendent will have the benefit of the advice and counsel of an
" Honorary Inspector," but he will himself conduct the correspondence, and will be solely
responsible for the working of the Department.
3. The Honorary Inspector will tender to the Local Superintendent such advice and
assistance as he may deem requisite, and will bring to the notice of the proper authorities any
neglect or irregularity in the performance of the duties of the Department of which he may
become cognisant.
4. The Records of the Local Superintendent's Office will be at all times open to the
examination of the Honorary Inspector.
5. The Establishment is fixed as follows :—
1 Local Superintendent.
6 Assistant Vaccinators.
7 Peons.
6. Until further orders, Vaccination will be gratuitously performed between the hours of
10 and 1 o'clock, in the undermentioned Districts :—
Byculla . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Mandavee . . . . . . . . . . .
Dhobee Tulao . . . . . . . .
Monday.
Tuesday.
Wednesday.
Fort . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Colaba . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Girgaum . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Thursday.
Friday.
Saturday.
NOTE.—Full details will be found in the Tables at the end relating to 'Sex,' 'Caste,' '.Age,'
'Result,' &c.
A