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of inoculation. The second (b) is the regulation of inoculation such as was proposed by
Doctor Charles for Bengal Proper. In a country where inoculation is almost universal,
and where precautions are taken by the people themselves to prevent the infection
spreading, such a measure may be feasible while Government is not in a position to
provide vaccination for the masses. But in this district, where so large a proportion of
the inhabitants is unprotected, and where the social restrictions on inoculated households
are so lax, such a measure would, by encouraging the practice, but magnify the danger.
The third measure (c) is prohibitory.
16. This may be either confined to the cities or applicable to the whole division,
As there is a much greater chance of inoculation giving rise to cases of small-pox
when it is performed in crowded bazars than in isolated villages, the Bengal Council in
their Act IV. of 1865 made it penal for any one to inoculate small-pox in, or for any
inoculated person to enter, within forty days after the operation, any of the large cities
of the province. A similar prohibition might, with great advantage, be enforced for
this division. This measure is more particularly applicable in cases where the staff of
Vaccinators is not sufficient to protect the inhabitants, or where the people refuse to
accept their services. In cases where the Vaccinators are sufficiently numerous to meet
the wants of the people, and where inoculation is carelessly practised among a semi-
protected population, I think it would be advisable to stop the practice altogether.
But let me repeat that this measure cannot with fairness be adopted until
Government provides a staff of vaccinators sufficient to protect the annual birth
rate.
17. Taking the population of this division at eight millions, and calculating the
annual birth rate at 25 per mille, we find there are some 200,000 children who ought
to be vaccinated yearly. According to Dr. Pearson's standard, each Vaccinator should
be able to protect 300 children per mensem, or 1,500 a season. At this rate it would
require about 133 Vaccinators to protect the rising population. The Government estab-
lishment at present consists of 28 vaccinators, one to each tehseel. This number
would therefore require to be quadrupled. As it would not be necessary to increase
the superintending force, the actual increase of cost to Government would be but
small,—only Rs. 7,728 per annum.
18. If inoculation were now prohibited in this division, and sanction given for
the above increase, the better class of Inoculators, who are now earning two or three
hundred rupees a season and who have hitherto refused all offers of joining the Vaccina-
tion Department, would, on finding their present lucrative employment gone, be glad
to accept Government service, and I have no doubt but that with a hundred of these
men in our ranks we would soon be able to put vaccination is this division on a firm
basis.
I have, &c.,
R. M. MILNE, M. B., ASSTT.-SURGEON,
Officiating Superintendent of Vaccination.
No. 2862A. OF 1870.
FROM
C. A. ELLIOTT, ESQUIRE,
Offg. Secy. to Govt.,
North- Western Provinces,
To
W. WATSON, ESQUIRE, M. B.,
Offg. Supdt.-Genl. of Vaccination,
North- Western Provinces.
DATED NYNEE TAL, THE 2ND JULY, 1870.
SIR,
I HAVE received and laid before His Honor the Lieutenant-Governor the
Annual Report of the Vaccine Operations in the North-Western Provinces during the