( 7 )
It is extremely difficult to draw any useful conclusions from this diagram,
because there is in the best vaccinated district quite sufficient susceptible
material to keep an epidemic of small-pox alive. In this country it is usually
the adults amongst whom the greatest number of deaths from small-pox occur
and who keep the disease alive. Twenty-five years ago vaccination of children
was not as good as it is now, consequently the number of unvaccinated adults of
about 25 years of age is much greater than the number of unvaccinated children
at five years. Also even, if adults have been vaccinated as children, they
may contract the disease themselves, though the chances of recovery
are much below if they have been protected in childhood. Small-pox has
a sort of periodicity. It usually is more or less prevalent in epedemic form
once in five years in any given district. In consequence of an epedemic of
the disease, vaccination of many of the susceptible persons is carried out and
the disease disappears and remains quiet for some time.
In Northern Bengal, Nepal is a constant source of infection from which the
neighbouring districts contract the disease. It is only the fact that the
Darjeeling district is very well vaccinated that keeps the small-pox figures as
low as they are there.
Deaths from small-pox.
11. During the past year, the total number of deaths from small-pox
in the Province was 14,846, against 26,168 of
1903-04 and 45,742 of 1902-03, the ratio of deaths
per 1,000 of the population being .19, against .33 and .58 respectively of
1903-04 and 1902-03. The largest number of deaths was recorded in the
districts of Dacca 1,409, Puri 1,218, Pabna 1,021, Darbhanga 771, Muzaffarpur
744, Birbhum 706 and Jalpaiguri 702, whereas the mortality was lowest in
the districts of Khulna 4, Jessore 7, Darjeeling 8, Singhbhum 11, Hazaribagh
12, Manbhum 13, and Noakhali 15.
It will be seen from statement No. VI attached to this report that
there has been a diminution in the death-rate in a large majority of the
districts of Bengal as compared with the previous year.
In accordance with the orders contained in paragraph 9 of the Government
Resolution on the Annual Vaccination Report of this Department for the
year 1902-03, statistics were obtained from Civil Surgeons showing the
number of persons protected or unprotected among those who died from
small-pox during the past year. Out of 14,846 deaths, statistics have been
furnished of 11,763 which show that 4,662 were protected by vaccination and
5,873 were unprotected and 1,228 not ascertained. The figures, however, are
so unreliable that no conclusion can be based on them.
Animal Vaccination Depôts.
12. In the Animal Vaccination Depôts at Calcutta and Darjeeling, the
average number of calves vaccinated was 795 and
223 respectively, against 427 and 194 respectively
of the previous triennial period. The average quantity of lanoline paste in
grains manufactured was 127,243 and 50,245 respectively, against 66,319 and
53,903 respectively of 1899-1902.
It will be seen that the work of the Calcutta Animal Vaccination Depôt
has increased nearly twofold. The demand on it is increasing every year.
The depôt at Elliot Road was too small to be able to meet the continual
increased requisitions for lymph; it was therefore removed to a more com-
modious building at Entally in April 1905, and arrangements are being made
for manufacturing larger quantities of lymph to meet all present demandsl and
to send the fresh paste direct to the vaccinators instead of through Civil
Surgeons and Inspectors and Sub-Inspectors as before, thus minimising the
chance of deterioration of the quality of the lymph supplied.
Different methods of vaccination.
13. During the past year, 216,520 primary vaccinations were performed
with lymph taken direct from the calf, 421,157
with lanoline lymph, and 2,160,329 by the arm-
to-arm process, against 212,537, 415,310 and 2,006,716 respectively of 1903-04
and 214,764, 399,205 and 1,978,208 respectively of 1902-03. The ratio
per cent. of success under each of these methods of vaccination was 99.11,95.51
and 98.57 respectively, against 98.83, 97.01 and 98.35 respectively of 1903-04
and 98.13, 96.75 and 98.38 of 1902-03. The number of revaccinations under
each of these processes of vaccination was 21,926, 37,718 and 40,257 with a
success of 68.84, 51.79 and 58.49 per cent. respectively, against 26,001, 31,841
and 56,233 with a success of 65.89, 65.87 and 66.94 per cent. respectively of
1903-04 and 50,429, 39,992 and 99,374 with a success of 74.04, 62.20 and 67.40
per cent. respectively of 1902-03.
Antiseptic vaccination.
14. In accordance with the orders contained in Government order
No. 929T.M., dated the 28th May 1904, antiseptic
vaccination was introduced during the last working
season in the districts of Burdwan, Howrah, 24-Parganas, Dacca and Murshida¬