REPORT ON VACCINATION IN THE PROVINCE OF ASSAM FOR THE
                                        SEASON 1887-88.

Modification of present report.

1. The orders of the Government of India, quoted in the covering letter, direct
that reports on Vaccination shall be full triennially, the
intermediate years being confined to statistical returns, with
brief commentaries. No Provincial subsidiary orders have been received directing the
precise statistics to be published annually, and therefore the modification adopted for
the present season has been to present Provincial tables alone in the body of the
report with explanatory notes, followed by the statements required by the Government of
India.

Anticipation of material check to progress.

2. I may be allowed to express here my anticipation that the Assam Report on Vacci-
nation, if confined annually to the Government of India
statements only, would be prejudicial to the progress and
interest taken in the subject. Our vaccination department has lately taken vigorous
growth, development and results, and will receive a material check by too heavy pruning
in its immature stage.
Lymph supply.

3. There has been no change introduced during the year in the sources of
lymph. 200 tubes from England were received on the 10th
September 1887, and distributed as before. It seems to have
varied very much in quality, as indeed should be expected; but in several instances the
original tubes sufficed, not only for early stock, but even to maintain the supply
throughout the entire season. Periodical supplies were also received from Calcutta,
Darjeeling, Almorah, and Dacca, and helped the operators largely. Bovine lymph
has proved a failure again and again.

                                                                                                                                                          TABLE 1.

                                                                                          Showing the agency employed in each district of the Province during the past two years.

                                                                                                                     * Not included in the total, as the work was merely nominal.

Class of vaccinators.

4. The number and class of vaccinators employed is shown above for the two last
seasons. The number has increased from 214 to 231, chiefly
by employing more compounders in Sylhet and by additions
to vaccinators under Local Boards. The Inspectors in Sylhet have properly been
increased; but Lakhimpur has not yet moved to augment the staff by this necessary
subordinate.

                                                                                                                                          B