ii                                                       GENERAL REPORT.

Number of opera-
tions.

Details of increase
as compared with
previous year.

Caution as regards
the accuracy of
the figures.

The sum total pro-
bably not exces-
sive

                                                                STATEMENT No. II.

3. Operations.—The number of persons vaccinated, as might be antici-
pated from so material
an increase of agency,
has undergone a very
marked augmentation.
The out-turn of the
season is larger than
that of any previous
year, and constitutes the
greatest number of vac-
cinations ever accom-
plished in any province
of the Bengal Presiden-
cy in one year. The
increase over 1871-72
amounts to 321,784 or
88 per cent. This in-
crease is shared by all the circles with the exception of Darjeeling, which shows
a slight decrease. The particulars are as follows :—Increase—Calcutta and
suburbs, 10,948 ; Metropolitan circles, 175,558 ; Ranchee circle, 868 ; Sonthal
Pergunnahs, 2,719 ; Eastern Bengal circle, 47,549 ; Dispensary vaccination,
89,452 ; total increase 327,094 : decrease—Darjeeling circle, 5,310 : net increase
321,784. This result is exceedingly satisfactory and betokens a very decided
progress in vaccination and an increase of interest and effort on the part of
all concerned, which gives good promise for the future. The total above cited
cannot, however, be accepted as absolutely correct. The accuracy of the figures
bears a direct ratio to the amount of supervision and verification exercised.
The returns of circles in which these elements are sufficient, and which have
been subjected to careful scrutiny by comparison with the actual vaccinations
by trustworthy officers, are very near the truth. They amount to 500,094 or
72.7 per cent. of the whole. The figures placed under the term " dispensary
vaccination " must be received with more caution. Much of the vaccination
represented by these figures has not been inspected and verified as frequently
and carefully as is desirable, and in many cases, the truth of the results depends
on the unchecked testimony of vaccinators and converted inoculators who
are naturally interested in exhibiting as large a tale of work as will probably
be accepted. On the other hand, many inoculators have been instructed and
provided with the means of vaccinating who have not rendered any account
of their proceedings. Setting the number of operations not accounted for
against probable exaggerations, the figures above recorded are not in the aggre-
gate much beyond the amount of work which was actually accomplished
during the season. The degree of supervision which was exercised and the
consequent reliability of the returns of particular circles and districts will be
discussed in detail in the sequel. It is sufficient here to state that though the
sum total above shown cannot be accepted as absolutely exact, it approxi-
mates near enough to the truth to permit of its use in drawing safe general
conclusions.

The results of 1872-
73 as compared
with previous
years.

Operations as com-
pared with the
population.

4. In last year's report the number of operations performed during each
of the 10 years 1862-63—1871-72 was shown, and an annually progressive
increase of results demonstrated. The aggregate of last season's work more
than sustains the progress manifest in this statement; for, while the percent-
ages of the annual increments of the years in question were as follows:—
1863-64, 7.05; 1864-65, 34.5; 1865-66, 68.3; 1866-67, 28; 1867-68, 22;
1868-69, 10.4; 1869-70, 29.5; 1870-71, 2.4; 1871-72, 7.7; the percentage
of increase of the season under report over its predecessor was, as has been
already shown, 88. The sum total is still however far below the require-
ments of the province ; for, taking the population at 68 millions and the birth-
rate at 30 per 1,000, the annual production of persons requiring protection