( 3 )
Whilst it is impossible, within the scope of this report, to go into
the causes why particular districts are forward or backward, a few instances
may be taken.
The old Bhojpuri kingdom, as a whole, is one of the most bitterly
opposed to vaccination. Shahabad, parts of Chapra, Ghazipur and Ballia in
the United Provinces are all backward districts: on this account vaccination
is only done with great difficulty.
Unfortunately plague is now an additional diffiulty and has put back
the work considerably this year. It is a mistake to compare Arrah with
Patna and Gaya, which, as is well known, belonged to a distinct kingdom of
Mogadh where vaccination does not meet with as much opposition.
The Ferazie districts of Lower Bengal are probably the most difficult to
vaccinate in the whole Province. The fact that Faridpur and Backergunge
district figures are on the whole good is simply due to the exceptionally good
work of the Inspectors and Civil Surgeons.
Very nearly all the Sadar Subdivisions in Bihar are behind the other parts
of the district; the reason is simply that the law is well known, vaccination
is optional and opposition is strong.
Protection afforded to infants.
5. During the year 1904-05, out of 2,678,559, the estimated number of
infants under one year available for vaccination,
1,029,548, that is, 384.36 per thousand were
successfully vaccinated, against 359.66 of 1903-04 and 360.51 of 1902-03.
This shows that some improvement is gradually being made. A very large
majority of the people of Bengal object to have their infant children
vaccinated and this, together with the fact that malaria is prevalent during the
greater portion of the vaccination season in many parts of the Province, tends
to lower the rate of infant protection. Improvement in this respect must be
slow. The apathy of the people in the matter of infant vaccination is
evident from the figures of Calcutta, the most advanced town of India,
which show that only 90 per thousand of the infant population of that town
was vaccinated during the past year. The above calculation, however, is based
on the estimated birthrate of the Province. If the actual number of births of
the town is taken into calculation, the ratio would come up to 255 per thousand
only, but this even falls far short of what it should be.
In 12 districts, viz., Ranchi 904, Palamau 775, Malda 768, Faridpur 744,
Hazaribagh 682, Political States of Chota Nagpur 653, Bhagalpur 634, Purnea
634, Manbhum 625, Darjeeling 608, Sonthal Parganas 570 and Jalpaiguri 506,
the protection was over 500 per mille, while in four districts only, viz., Balasore
199, Tributary States of Orissa 190, Tippera 186, and Puri 83, it was below
200 per mille.
It is interesting to notice that in the districts of Midnapore, Cuttack and
Noakhali, where the work as a whole has increased owing to the active help
of the district authorities, the rate of infant protection has also increased
from 186.10, 146.55 and 170.99 of 1903-04 to 424.07, 218.67 and 403.09,
respectively, of 1904-05. There is also a marked improvement noticeable in
the district of Faridpur where the rate of successful infant vaccination has
increased from 595 of 1903-04 to 744 during the past year. Although I doubt
the accuracy of the figures, still I think that some improvement is being made
owing to the energy and exertions of the Civil Surgeon and the District
Inspector of Vaccination. I mention the case of Faridpur to show what good
can be done by energetic Inspecting officers. Unfortunately among the
subordinate vaccination inspecting staff we have only a very few good men
who are really tactful and know how to advance the cause of vaccination.
This, apart from local conditions, is also an important factor in determining
the progress or retrogression of vaccination work in a district.
The protection afforded to infants in municipalities is shown in Appendix
VII attached to the report. It will be seen that 623 per mille of the surviving
infant population was protected during the past year against 711 of 1903-04
and 723 of 1902-03. The average of the triennial period under review was
683 against 576 of 1899-1900 to 1901-02. The cause of the excess number of
vaccination over the available population in some municipalities as shown in
the statement is the same as explained in previous reports. The attention of
Civil Surgeons has as usual been drawn to their responsibility in the matter of
infant vaccination in towns where the protection is inadequate.