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moreover, made to meet at the Municipal Offices by the Municipal Commissioner,
who presided ; and, with detailed knowledge of the state of affairs possessed by the
Deputy Commissioner, the District Officers were guided and instructed as to
further steps to be taken in carrying out the inoculation of the people, every
encouragement being given to set forth our views on the subject, which were
thereafter fully discussed and considered. These meetings produced more efficient
combined action and tended to keep all officers and others, interested in touch with
the progress of affairs, which was so necessary considering the division of the city
into various areas controlled by the several District Officers. By these means
alone it was possible for all to know how each district was progressing.. Moreover
it produced a healthy tone of emulation and so stimulated to further effort. In
October, when it appeared that inoculation would be taken on by the people, the
staffs of the District Officers were increased proportionately with the work being
done, In order also to make matters sure, the Sectional Medical Officers had all to
attend at the Laboratory at a lecture given by Major Bannerman, in amplification
of his previous lectures, explaining fully the technique of the process of inoculation.
Later, in order to obviate all doubt in the matter, those who were not fully qualified
Medical Officers had to pass an examination in the process of inoculation.
Meanwhile various pamphlets were in process of preparation with a view to
giving them gratis to the people, for instance, in the first week of October, the
Indu Prakash Press issued and distributed seven thousand copies gratuitously,
followed the next week by the Bombay Samachar Press, which issued 10,000
Gujarati copies. It was strange to notice the knowledge and interest shown un-
consciously by certain of the public in the progress of affairs at this stage, for letters
appeared in the newspapers, by various unofficial correspondents, criticizing not only
the propaganda, but the methods pursued in carrying out the inoculation of the
people.
To meet the wishes of the people inoculators had to be sent to various places
to carry out inoculation ; but the mam plan was to have inoculation stations
in central localities all over the city. Many European and native gentlemen
successfully set examples by getting themselves inoculated and persuading their
superior and subordinate staffs. In the Central District we had numerous instances
of such a kind, more especially amongst the poorer classes of Hindus. To cap all,
it was announced in all the newspapers that the Viceroy and all accompanying
him on his tour had been inoculated, previous to starting, viz., on 21st October 1899.
Meanwhile the various newspapers were replete with letters of all kinds on the
subject of inoculation for and against ; amongst the latter the Kesari was notorious,
and quite a number of correspondents from all parts entered the lists. About this
time the Aga Khan's instructions for the inoculation of his community had arrived
and were given effect to practically.
By the beginning of November, various reliable statistics, demonstrating the
splendid results achieved by inoculation, were coming in from all parts, and these
were explained to the people, and thus tended to urge forward with greater conviction
the cause of inoculation.
About this time a death occurred from tetanus after inoculation, which, however,
was declared to have been caused through no fault of the operator. Again, the poor,
who were now coming forward in large numbers owing to their being chiefly of the
subsistence-earning class, complained that the four annas given by Government was
insufficient, as they were laid up with a bad arm for several days. The former caso
passed almost unnoticed, but the latter was duly considered and threshed out, ending
finally in the decision not to raise the sum, but that in particular cases help, might be