(5)
Deaths from small-pox.
12. The total number of deaths from small-pox during the year was
45,742, and the ratio per mille of the population .58,
against 48,207 and .62, respectively, of the previous
year. The largest number of deaths was recorded in the districts of Midnapore
11,714, Patna 4,301, Gaya 2,833, Singhbhum 2,588, Manbhum 2,137, Sonthal
Parganas 2,024, Rangpore 1,915, Cuttack 1,807, Monghyr 1,597, Mymensingh
1,477, 24-Parganas 1,055, and Bankura 1.018; whereas in the districts of Noa-
khali, Nadia, Chittagong, Darjeeling, Khulna, Rajshahi, and Birbhum, the
mortality was lowest, viz., 10, 12, 14, 14, 23, 39, and 47, respectively.
It may be remarked that deaths occurring from measles or chicken-pox,
when complicated with pneumonia or bronchitis, are by mistake entered
under the head "small-pox," as has been noticed by the Civil Medical Officer,
Palamau. He has also noted that deaths from small-pox bear a small propor-
tion to the number of cases.
In connection with the stamping out of small-pox epidemics, difficulty is
experienced in some places in carrying on re-vaccination owing specially to the
unwillingness of the people to pay fees for re-vaccination. This has been par-
ticularly noticed by the Civil Medical Officer, Sonthal Parganas.
Animal Vaccination Depôts.
13. In the Animal Vaccination Depôts in Calcutta and Darjeeling, 596
and 237 calves were vaccinated against 417 and
239, respectively, of the previous year.
The
quantity of lanoline paste manufactured was 103,470 and 47,701 grains, res-
pectively, against 74,325 and 61,842 grains, respectively, of the previous
year.
The increase of work in the Calcutta Depôt was due to the separation of
the dep6t of the Corporation from the Government Depôt since October last,
which enabled the Government Depôt staff to devote their time and energy
exclusively to the supply of lymph to the mafussal which needed expansion.
Different methods of vaccination.
14. During the past year 214,764 primary vaccinations were performed
with calf-lymph, 399,205 with lanoline lymph, and
1,978,208 by the arm-to-arm process, against
323,884, 244,244, and 1,961,650, respectively, of the previous year. The ratio
per cent. of success under each of these methods was 98.13, 96.75, and 98.38,
respectively. Re-vaccinations were also performed under each of the above
processes of vaccination with a success of 74.04, 62.20, and 67.40 per cent.,
respectively.
Supply of lymph to the Nepal
Durbar and Sikkim State.
15. Five hundred and fifty-five grains of lymph were supplied from the
Animal Vaccination Depôt, Darjeeling, to the Nepal
Durbar, which is reported to have produced very
good results. Seven hundred and five grains of
lymph were also supplied from the same Depôt to the Sikkim State.
16. Inspection.—During the past year, the Deputy Sanitary Commissioners
of the Metropolitan, Northern and Western Circles, inspected 6,200, 2,935, and
7,428 cases, respectively.
Among Civil Surgeons, 4 only, viz., Birbhum, Dinajpur, Pabna, and Tippera
inspected more than 10,000 operations; 15 from 5,000 to 10,000; 15 more from
2,000 to 5,000 ; 11 from 1,000 to 2,000, and 2 less than 1,000.
Of the subordinate inspecting staff, 11 District Inspectors of Vaccination
inspected more than 50 per cent. of the primary operations in their respective
jurisdictions; 12 between 40 and 50 per cent; 18 between 20 and 40 per cent.,
and 7 below 20 per cent. There was no District Inspector in the districts of
Bogra, Saran, and Darbhanga during a considerable portion of the year as the
vacancies that occurred in those districts were not filled up in accordance with
Government Order No. 1982T.M., dated 27th September 1902. The low rate
of inspection performed by the District Inspectors of Faridpur, Santhal Parganas,
and Balasore is said to be due to the fact that the first named was engaged almost
wholly in overcoming the opposition to vaccination in the interior of the district,
while the two last named were occupied in inducing the people of small-pox
affected areas to accept vaccination.
In 7 districts the Sub-Inspectors of Vaccination inspected more than 80
per cent. of the primary operations performed under their charge, in 35 districts
between 50 and 80 per cent., and in 6 districts only below 50 per cent. Suit-
able notice has been taken of the cases in which the inspection of the subordi-
nate inspecting officers was unsatisfactory.
17. The prescribed statements are appended to these notes.
F. C. CLARKSON, MAJOR, I.M.S.,
Sanitary Commissioner, Bengal.
The 30th May 1903.