(
14)
In October, with the assistance of my Native Superintendents and vaccinators, I
had made out a list of the " Malis" best qualified in each tehseel to become vaccinators.
To each of these I issued a purwanah defining the nature of his appointment, and
forwarded the necessary instruments. As soon as the vaccinator had established the
vesicle, he gave what lymph he could spare to his " Mali" assistant, who immediately
began work on his own account. From what I saw of these men's work during the
first month, I was sanguine of being able to show a good return for the money entrusted
to me. But on the 8th December I received a letter from the Superintendent-
General to the effect that only Rs. 300 of the grant could be spared for the Benares
Division. Disappointing as this was after the arrangements I had made, I had no al-
ternative but to recall my instructions and limit my operations to the means at my dis-
posal. The withdrawal of so many men had a very insalutary effect on those kept on,
for many who had begun to work in good earnest were discouraged, believing their
appointment insecure and their pay doubtful; while those who were dismissed natur-
ally became opponents of the cause. If Government were pleased to grant next season
the sum of Rs. 500 to this division, I feel assured that there would be a considerable
increase in the returns, though perhaps not equal to what it would have been had this
withdrawal not taken place.
11. There are many advantages that vaccinators taken from the inoculating caste
have over others. Being as a rule residents of the tehseel to which they are appointed,
and known to the people as inoculators, they consequently meet with much less opposi-
tion, and never require, as other vaccinators do, assistance from the tehseeldar or thanna¬
dars. In short, they carry on their work without aid, either direct or indirect, if kept
in the district in which they are known. But being men of no social status, and almost
illiterate, they are quite unfitted for the posts of Native Superintendent or municipal
vaccinator, and are thus debarred from the rewards of the department. In connection
with their work, however, there is one drawback to "Mali " vaccinators, and that is, their
dislike to vaccinate children of very low castes. This arises, not from any idea of their
own superiority, but from the fact that they were prohibited by one of the old inocu-
lation rules to operate on any children below a certain caste. Notwithstanding the
assistance rendered by some civilians to gain over inoculators to vaccination, many of
these men still continue to practise their art more or less secretly, though, perhaps, not
to the same extent as formerly. Only four deaths arising directly from inoculation
have been reported to me this season : two of these took place in Benares, and two near
Dohree Ghat. There seems to be a growing impression, doubtless due to the vaccina-
tors, that to practise inoculation is now criminal. This is proved by the petition lately
presented to Government by Purtej Dass and others of Mouzah Bahoopore, in Gha¬
zeepore, to be allowed to practise their old trade, from which they said they had been
prohibited by the Magistrate. In accordance with the instructions of Government, I
sent my Native Superintendent to try to induce these petitioners to adopt vaccination.
He failed to make any impression on them, but I shall still do my utmost to bring
what influence I can to bear, in order to prevail on them to change their practices.
The case of these men is very different from that of the Tehseeldar of Seyedpore, who,
though aware of the discountenance of Government, had two children inoculated in his
own house at the close of last vaccine season. Much credit is due to Mr. Oldham for
entering into this case, and expressing so plainly his views, and the displeasure of Go¬
vernment, at such behaviour on the part of a Government official.
12. In order to train efficiently the local "Malis," it is necessary to have energetic
Native Superintendents. Plains-men as a rule being more supine, I endeavoured to intro-
duce for that purpose hill-men, who had been taught by Dr. Pearson. Unfortunately,
however, the season at the end of the rains, when they have to join their appointments,
is so very trying to the constitutions of men who have been all their lives in the hills,
that I am doubtful whether I ought again to try the experiment. Two men out of the
three sent died of fever within a week of their arrival,