4

marked instance of the kind. He states that Rai Bahadur
D. N. Choudhri, O.B.E., reported that a few cases of small-
pox had occurred in a village belonging to him and on his
requisition the services of a vaccinator were placed at his disposal
so that he could arrange to get all the unprotected children in
the village vaccinated. But he was unable to persuade the
villagers and the vaccinator had to return without succeeding
in carrying out a single vaccination. It is reported by some
Civil Surgeons that for want of such a legislation vaccination
work in rural areas is getting very difficult and the vaccinators
are even refused food, and sometimes abused. At times
they have also met with violence, and their equipment has
been damaged as already reported in previous year's report ;
the Civil Surgeon, Bilaspur, reports that in Padampur circle
the local vaccinator was assulted in Jogni village while in the
discharge of duties.

11.    In order to avert such a state of affairs and to
adequately carry on vaccination work in rural areas there is
a genuine need for the early introduction of compulsory
vaccination. In this connection it is pleasing to read
Mr. G. A. Khan's (Commissioner, Nerbudda Division) remarks
reproduced below with which I concur :—

"In my forwarding memo on the Berar reports for
1924-25 I urged the desirability of extending compulsory
vaccination to rural areas. I strongly adhere to this opinion.
Compulsory vaccination has been in force in Indian towns for
many years past, and I venture to think that its extension
to rural areas is overdue. The present position is indeed
anomolous when it is remembered that vaccination is more
readily acquiesced in by the unsophisticated villagers than
by townspeople. It is to be hoped that the necessary legis-
lation will be enacted without further delay. The marked
increase in the number of deaths from small-pox in 1924-25
as compared with the previous year (vide paragraph 18 of the
Director of Public Health's note on vaccination for 1924-25)
affords strong argument for prompt governmental action, for
no enlightened Government can, in my humble opinion, evade
moral responsibility for deaths from preventable diseases such
as small-pox."

12.    Cooly allowance to vaccinators.—In Raipur
and Buldana districts it is reported that vaccinators have not