3
The Deputy Sanitary Commissioner, Northern range, mentions two instances
of apathy of village officers and the absence of compulsory vaccination which are
worth recording:—
" The difficulties experienced by the vaccinator in assembling and vaccinating
the children in each village on account of the indifference of the headman would
be relieved to some extent if vaccination had been compulsory in all the rural
areas; but such is not the case and it still further handicaps the vaccinator in his
work. In connexion with the two matters—the apathy of the village officer and
the absence of compulsory vaccination—I should like to make mention of two
incidents which occurred in the year in this range. In one case the revenue
. authorities, besides exonerating from blame a village munsif who was reported by
a Deputy Inspector for not co-operating with the vaccinator, stated that village
officers should not be troubled with vaccination duties during the jamabandi
period. This would mean that vaccination would have to be stopped for a number
of months in the year. In the second case, the guardian of a child (in a village
where vaccination was non compulsory) became so impatient and irritated by the
persuasion of the vaccinator to get the child vaccinated that he forcibly took the
lymph packet and the outfit of the latter and threw them on the road ; a prosecu-
tion was launched against him for interfering with a public servant in the
discharge of his duties, but the magistrate who tried the case dismissed the
complaint and declared in his judgment that a vaccinator is not a public servant in
a place where vaccination is not compulsory ; a few more judgments of this kind
in similar cases in other ranges would entirely deprive the vaccinator of the small
dignity and status he has at present and his work will come to a standstill."
The obvious remedy is compulsory vaccination and compulsory registration
of births and deaths ; but however perfect the system or its rules no improvement
can be expected unless and until the vaccination staff receive the whole-hearted
co-operation of the revenue authorities. The position of the Deputy Inspectors
of Vaccination and vaccinators is an extremely difficult one and they cannot carry
on their duties independently. They have a stiff-necked conservatism and deep-
seated superstition to contend against, which cannot be easily overcome, and unless
the village officer helps to dispel the suspicion and fear with which the vaccina-
tion staff are regarded and the local revenue authorities are made to realize that
the progress of vaccination is as much their concern as revenue collection, further
progress will be very difficult. If district subordinates once realize that neglect
of vaccination is considered by their superior officers to be a dereliction of duty,
immediate improvement will result. I would strongly urge the importance of
bringing this matter to the attention of all Collectors.
The scheme for the training of first and second class vaccinators was approved
by Government in G.O. No. 1271 L., dated 22nd December 1920, and the first
class has already been held.
With reference to paragraph 2 of G.O. No. 81-P.H., dated 26th January
1921, the rules for the working of the new scheme of vaccination sanctioned in
G.O. No. 760 L., dated 18th June 1919, are still under the consideration of the
Range Deputy Sanitary Commissioners who have been requested to report upon
their working. Replies from Collectors have been received and are held up
pending reports from the Deputy Sanitary Commissioners. The general consensus
of opinion is that it is too soon to give a decided opinion and I consider that the
scheme should be given an extended trial.
6. The following table exhibits the total vaccination work performed by all
agencies in the Presidency:—
Primary vaccination (including secondary)
Re-vaccination
Total ...
1919-1920.
1,384,020
229,597
1,613,617
1920-1921.
1,388,598
179,672
1,568,270