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Deaths from small-pox.
14. The total number of deaths from small-pox in the Province during
the past year was 48,207 against 25,302 of the
preceding year, and 14,514 of 1899-1900. The
ratios of deaths per 10,000 of the population was 6.21 against 3.4 of 1900-1901
and 1.9 of 1899-1900. The largest number of deaths was recorded in the
districts of Midnapore (13,458), Cuttack (6,291), Mymensingh (3,175), Balasore
(2,148), Patna (1,977), Singhbhum (1,680), Rangpur (1,643), 24-Parganas
(1,519), Gaya (1,476), Bankura (1,356), Puri (1,078) and Palamau (995), where-
as in the Districts of Chittagong, Khulna, Rajshahi and Darjeeling, the
mortality was lowest, viz., 25, 38, 41 and 73 respectively. During the past
year there was a general and widespread prevalence of small-pox in most parts
of the Province. In the majority of cases, the disease is said to have been
imported from Calcutta and to have spread among the unprotected population.
Re-vaccination being carried on to a limited extent and a portion of the com-
munity remaining unprotected, vide remarks in paragraph 19 below, it is no
wonder that on the outbreak of a severe epidemic of small-pox, the mortality
is high. Prompt measures were taken by Civil Surgeons to arrest the progress
of the disease by vigorously pushing on vaccination in the affected localities.
Animal Vaccination Depôts.
15. In the Animal Vaccination Depôts at Calcutta and Darjeeling the
average number of calves vaccinated was 427 and
194 respectively, against 375 and 160 respectively, of
the previous triennial period. The average quantity of lanoline paste in grains
manufactured was 66,319 and 53,903 respectively, against 58,372 and 53,028
respectively, of 1896-99. The lymph supplied from the Calcutta Animal
Vaccination Depôt was specially reported to be of very good quality.
I beg to draw the attention of Government to the remarks made in my
notes on vaccination for the year 1900-1901 regarding the inadequacy of the
present supply of lymph which is seriously interfering with the work of vacci-
nation in many parts of the Province. The Government sanctioned the
establishment of an Animal Vaccination Depôt at Pusa in the district of
Darbhanga in April 1901, but nothing has yet been done to start it. I
would impress upon Government the necessity of establishing this institution
at once and of sanctioning the erection of another in Orissa.
Different methods of Vaccination.
16. During the past year, 1901-1902, 323,884 primary vaccinations were
performed with lymph taken direct from the calf,
244,244 with lanoline lymph and 1,961,650 by
the arm to arm process against 280,502, 220,347 and 1,727,093, respectively,
of the previous year. The ratio per cent. of success under each of these
methods of vaccination was 98.56, 96.07 and 98.16, respectively, against 98.46,
94.54, and 98.04, respectively, of 1900-1901. The number of re-vaccinations
under each of these processes of vaccination was 35,134, 34,021 and 63.893 with
a success of 75.74, 54.79 and 68.83 per cent. respectively against 32,556, 44,617
and 41,196 with a success of 61.10, 51.66 and 65.91 per cent. respectively, of
the previous year.
Supply of lymph to the Nepal
Darbar and Sikkim and Bhutan.
17. Six hundred and seventy-five grains of vaccine lymph were supplied
from the Animal Vaccination Depôt, Darjeeling, to
the Nepal Darbar. Only one return of vaccination
was received and the operations performed there
were all successful.
Five hundred and sixty grains of lymph were supplied from the same Dep6t
to the Sikkim State to suppress small-pox, which was raging in some parts of the
State.
Fifty grains of lanoline paste have been supplied to the Commissioner of
the Rajshahi Division for vaccination in Bhutan.
Inspections.
18. During the past year, the Deputy Sanitary Commissioners of the
Metropolitan and Eastern Bengal, Northern Bengal
and Western Bengal Circles inspected each 115,
30,048, and 8,955 cases, respectively. The short amount of inspection performed
by the Deputy Sanitary Commissioner, Metropolitan and Eastern Bengal Circle,
was due to his being employed chiefly on Sanitary Inspection duty.
Among Civil Surgeons, 4, viz., Bankura, Pabna, Muzaffarpur and Balasore
inspected more than 10,000 operations against 3 of the previous year; while 16
against 17 inspected from 5,000 to 10,000 cases; 21 against 14 inspected