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apprentice vaccinators were taken into account in calculating the average,
whereas in the Vaccination Report of 1900-1901, they were excluded from the
calculation, their work having been shown as that of the vaccinators to whom
they were attached, and in the figures of 1901-1902 the work of the regular
vaccinators only has been taken into account in calculating the average work
done by them.
I am, however, led to believe from the reports of the Civil Surgeons, that
in most districts the average work of a vaccinator is greater than that of
previous years. This is, I believe, due to the Government Resolution on the
Vaccination Report of 1900-1901, which stirred up Civil Surgeons and Magis-
trates to greater activity in the matter of vaccination, with the result that
almost all the districts of the Province have reported a larger number of
operations as compared with the previous year, which is an unprecedented
event. The increase is most striking in the districts of Midnapore, 35,927
24-Parganas, 33,177, Mymensingh, 43,215, Faridpur, 23,720, Backergunge,
25,766, Patna, 20,110, and Gaya, 15,953. Only 4 districts, viz., Nadia,
Bogra, Dacca, and Ranchi show a decrease of 1,104, 4,072, 11,934 and 4,894
operations, as compared with 1900-1901. The explanation of decrease furnished
by the Civil Surgeons is as follows:—
Nadia.—The decrease was chiefly in re-vaccination, which is not appre-
ciated by the people of the district.
Bogra.—The vaccinators having delayed in paying their security deposit
money, licenses to vaccinators were issued in October, The
work was thus started very late in the year. The decrease
was also due to the fact that the returns of some of the vacci-
nators had to be excluded, as they were not received in time,
while a few others left their work in March. The explana-
tion is not satisfactory.
Dacca.—The area of the district was diminished by the separation of a
part of the Munshiganj Subdivision, which was added to the
Faridpur district.
Ranchi—No explanation furnished.
Primary Vaccination.
5. During the past year, the total number of primary vaccinations
performed in the Province was 2,529,778 against
2,227,942 of 1900-1901, and 2,203,984 of 1899-
1900. The average of the triennial period is 2,320,565 against 2,184,502 of
1896-99, and 2,054,496 of 1893-96. There is thus an increase of 136,063
operations, as compared with the previous triennial period, which is satisfactory.
The ratio per cent. of successful cases is 97.82 against 97.92 of the previous
triennial period, 1896-99.
Protection afforded to infants.
6. During the year 1901-1902, out of 3,306,736, the estimated number of
infants under one year, available for vaccination,
775,729, that is 234.59 per thousand, were success-
fully vaccinated, against 189.08 of 1900-1901, and 201.25 of 1899-1900. The
ratio for the last year of the previous triennial period, 1896-99 was 156.85. It
will thus be seen that some improvement, as regards infant vaccination has
taken place. In calculating these ratios 50 per mille has been taken, as the
average birth-rate of Bengal. This rate is considered by many Civil Surgeons
to be higher than the actual, and if the birth-rate, as shown in the Sanitary
Report, viz., 38.57 per mille is taken for purposes of calculation, the protection
of infant population for the past year, 1901-1902 would be 320.61 instead of
234.59. This rate even is much lower than what it should be, but under
existing conditions much better results cannot be expected and any progress
in this direction must be the work of time. In four districts, viz., Darjeeling,
Malda, Bhagalpur, and Ranchi, where there is not very great opposition to
infant vaccination, more than half the available infant population were pro-
tected, whereas in Balasore, Tippera, Bogra, and Puri, the population protected
is below 100 per mille, the figure for the latter district being as low as 26.90.
This is accounted for by infant vaccination being strongly opposed by the
people of these districts. Shahabad, Hooghly, Singhbhum, the Tributary
States of Orissa, Cuttack and Muzaffarpur also, do not show much better results,
the ratios in these districts varying from 136 to 101 per mille. The cause of