( 2 )
The ratio of success under the two different heads, primary and revacci-
nation, was 99.22 and 69.97, against 98.77 and 61.94 respectively of 1903-05.
The average work of a vaccinator was 1,000, against 891 of the previous
triennial period. The average work of a licensed and paid vaccinator was
961 and 1,203, against 905 and 811 respectively of 1903-05.
Although the work of the Province was on the whole satisfactory, it may
be remarked that the results would have been far better still had not the work
been retarded in many districts by scarcity, which made the poor people
reluctant to offer their children for vaccination owing to their inability to pay
the vaccinators' fees. Applications were received during the year from the
Civil Surgeons of Cuttack, Darbhanga, Midnapore, and Bankura for recouping
the vaccinators the loss sustained by them on account of the non-realisation of
fees from the poor. The case of Cuttack was submitted for the orders of
Government, which referred the question for settlement by the Commissioner
of the Orissa Division, whose final decision in the matter is not yet known. The
Magistrate of Darbhanga did not support the Civil Surgeon's proposal,
which had therefore to be dropped. The other two applications are under
consideration.
In the absence of the compulsory law to enforce vaccination which is the
true solution of the small-pox problem, this Department has to depend
chiefly on persuasive measures and the good offices of District and Subdivi-
sional Magistrates to advance the cause. But persuasion is of no avail with
poor people who have not the wherewithal to pay for the bare necessities of
life and can ill afford to pay for vaccination, however beneficial it might be.
The result is that the vaccinators, who are unpaid men, leave unprotected the
areas that are least profitable and carry on their work in places where they
get their fees without difficulty and not unfrequently illegal gain in the shape
of articles of food. The inspecting staff, who for the most part are promoted
vaccinators, are not men of sufficient status and strength of character to be able
to inspire confidence. They often share the spoils of the vaccinators and
attempt to protect them, and it is only when some energetic Civil Surgeon or
a Deputy Sanitary Commissioner brings to light their carelessness, neglect of
duty or malpractices, that these men are roused to some activity for fear of
losing their appointments. Notwithstanding these disadvantages, fairly good
results are attained in districts where the executive officers give prompt and
active help to the officers of this Department and where the inspecting staff are
energetic and honest. Endeavours are being made to replace the worthless men
as opportunities occur by properly qualified officers.
Increase or decrease in vaccina-
tions during 1907-08.
Out of the 34 districts in Bengal including the Tributary States of
Orissa, there was an increase of operations in 19,
while there was. a decrease in 15 districts during
the past year. The increase is specially notice-
able in the following districts:—
Cuttack ... ... ... ... ...
Tributary States of Orissa
...
...
...
...
...
Puri ... ... ... ... ...
Jessore ... ... ... ... ...
Manbhum ... ... ... ... ...
Darbhanga
...
...
...
...
...
Ranchi
...
...
...
...
...
Hazaribagh
...
...
...
...
...
Birbhum
...
...
...
...
...
Khulna ... ... ... ... ...
18,874
16,321
15,987
11,405
10,978
9,689
8,269
7,128
6,685
6,116
The principal decrease occurred in Darjeeling (25,590), Murshidabad
(16,513), Bankura (10,416), Saran (8,386,) Balasore (8,032), Purnea (6,851)
Sonthal Parganas (5,243).
In Cuttack, the increase is said to be due to better supervision and to
systematic arrangement of the work of the vaccinators, while in the case of Puri
it is attributed to the special efforts made by the Magistrate and the Civil
Surgeon to improve vaccination and to the energy displayed by the inspecting
staff, and latterly by the Special Inspector of Vaccination lately sanctioned
by Government for Orissa, who exhibited great energy in vaccinating and
revaccinating infants and adults in many villages which had hitherto absolutely