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from small-pox, the same is not the case with the great pox, or syphilis. In every
village visited by me within a few marches of Mussoorie or Chukrata, I had many appli-
cants for relief from this disease. By those who know the dirty habits of those hill-
men and women, an idea may be formed of the probable effect of their inoculation
with syphilis. Many of those affected traced the origin of their misfortunes to the time
they were employed on the works at Chukrata. Of course, little could be done for the
relief of a disease requiring prolonged treatment for its permanent eradication; and I
failed to convince the sufferers that it would be worth their while to visit the dispensa-
ries at Dehra or Mussoorie. In the villages beyond this, nearer the snows, the people
appeared to be singularly free from venereal affections. Tehree is badly off in the
matter of dispensaries: in fact, I do not know that any institution of the sort exists
in the State. Such of the people as know the benefits of medical treatment visit Dehra
Mussoorie or Srinuggur, if they can afford the expense of a long journey over a very
difficult country. Many, it is certain, suffer and die of diseases which medical skill
could alleviate or remove. During the year the inoculators have been unusually
quiescent, and I was beginning to believe that the measures adopted by Dr. Pringle
for the suppression of their craft had been finally successful. Lately however I have
had intelligence to the contrary. One man is said to have been at work near the town
of Tehree itself. He has been reported to the authorities of the Tehree State, and will
no doubt be suitably dealt with.
I may notice here a remark made by the Sanitary Commissioner in his last
annual report. He thinks the term "teeka" applied to vaccination is an unfortunate
one, and that it must have been suggested by an enemy. It is a pity he did not
explain why it should be considered so objectionable. I was always under the belief
that the term "teekait" was applied to inoculators for centuries before vaccination
was ever heard of, and that "teeka" was simply the old native term, used with refer-
ence to vaccination in the same way as it had formerly been with regard to inoculation.
If this be correct, it would, at first sight at least, seem to be rather fortunate than
otherwise that the old name should so readily be adopted for the new and yet suspected
substitute. However this may be, it is certain that the use of any term having
reference to the sacred cow, such as that suggested by the Sanitary Commissioner, would
not even now be prudent in many parts of the country; whilst before the people had
become familiar with vaccination, it would not have been without serious risk. The
suggestion made by the Sanitary Commissioner is by no means a new one—"gao tun-
seetla" has been long in use in printed vernacular pamphlets to express vaccination.
My own experience is, that except amongst educated natives, any pointed allusion to
the cow as the source of our lymph is still better left out.
13. I have frequently been surprised during my tour to hear medical officers
and others expressing their belief that the duties of vaccine officers were more or less
nominal, and that on the whole the appointment of superintendent was a pleasant
sinecure. Having had personal experience of what a medical officer in almost every
branch of the service, military and civil, is expected to do, I am in a position to assert
that if a vaccine officer performs his duties as he ought, there are few harder-worked
appointments. This is not an individual opinion, but one which I know to be held by
every officer in the department. I have noticed that those holding the belief that there
is little to be done by us, are generally themselves somewhat easy-going, and probably
given to judge of others by their own standard. Few of them possess even the physi-
cal qualifications required by a successful vaccinator. They would not always find it
possible to take a buggy from village to village in the plains ; and in the hills, not even
a horse, supposing they would venture to ride one.
14. As in previous years, much assistance has been received from many of the
district authorities, instances of which have already been casually mentioned. Some of
the tubseeldars and members of municipal committees have also taken much interest