( 3 )
character of his duties, is unable to do much work in testing vaccina-
tion operations. From the fact that only 72 were tested at Benares it
would appear that the Deputy Sanitary Commissioner was unable to
visit the district; he should endeavour to do so during the coming
season. Similar remarks apply to the Lucknow district.
4. The proportion of cases of vaccination of infants to the total
number of successful primary operations has increased but slightly,
and now stands at 45 as compared with 44 in 1892-93. About one-
third of the infant population was protected. No efforts should be
spared to increase the number of infants vaccinated. The remarks in
paragraph 21 of the report that the compulsory vaccination of infants
under the age of six months is not permitted, and in paragraph 27 with
regard to the voluntary character of vaccination in the hot weather and
rains, are incorrect as implying that, as a general rule, vaccination is
compulsory; it is compulsory nowhere but in municipalities. An
increase of cases of revaccination at the expense of primary operations is
to be deprecated in view of the necessity of concentrating effort on
the latter. It is possible that too much work in this direction was done
in Gorakhpur, where, however, the tendency is to restrict the number
of secondary operations. The outturn of revaccination in Garhwál
accounts for more than half the total number of cases in the provinces;
in the other hill districts it was not found necessary to revaccinate to
any large extent.
5. Except in the 3rd Circle, where 17,988 operations were per-
formed, little resort was had to the use of calf lymph. Where care is
taken to supervise the depôt fair results seem to be obtained, percentages
of successful cases of 82.57 and 84.52 being obtained at Allahabad and
Lucknow. Unless operations are conducted on a fairly extensive scale,
these depôts seem to be of questionable utility. At Aligarh, for instance,
where a small depôt was started, out of 72 children vaccinated with
calf lymph the cases of only 31 were successful. There is considerable
difference of opinion as to the desirability of continuing vaccination
operations during the hot weather. Your predecessor was in favour
of the measure. In the report of the Deputy Sanitary Commissioner
of the 1st Circle it is said that all the Civil Surgeons of his circle are
adverse to the practice, and he himself is of opinion that it would be
preferable to stop operations after the 31st March, if a calf lymph
depôt were established for each circle. I am to request that, should
you consider that sufficient experience has been gained of the working
of the system which has been in force during the last two years, you
will take the question into careful consideration after consulting Civil
Surgeons.
6. The Vaccination Act is now in force in all the municipalities of
the provinces except Bhinga; but it seems clear that in the majority of
them full effect is not given to its provisions. Statistics for vaccinations
performed within the municipal area are not available before the year
1892-93, when the provisions of the Act were first enforced in about 65
municipalities, being extended to the remainder later. But it is possible