REPORT.                                                                        3

Sex of those
vaccinated.

                          STATEMENT No. IV.

6. Sex of the vaccinated.—The sex of those vaccinated was registered in 551,417 cases.
Of these, 292,953 were
males and 258,464
females, or 52.9 and 47.1
per cent. The percent-
ages of the previous
years were, 1872-73, 53.3
and 46.7; 1871-72, 54.2
and 45.8; 1870-71, 54.3
and 45.7 ; and 1869-70,
54.3 and 45.70. It is
satisfactory to find that
the returns of the past
show a larger percentage
of females than in any of
the previous years. An
improvement in the ratio of females is evident in the Sonthal Pergunnahs. The ratio of
females is lowest in dispensary vaccination and highest in the Eastern Bengal circle, in
which there is an excess of males this year instead of females, as in 1872-73. The other
circles are more consistent.

Caste of those
vaccinated.

7. Caste of the vaccinated.—The caste of 551,417 persons was noted down under the
heads of Christians, Hindus, Mussulmans, and other castes. The percentages falling under
these heads are .1, 58.9, 35.9, and 5.1, against .3, 52.5, 39.7, and 7.5, respectively, of 1872-73.

The following table gives the detail of each circle:—

                                                    STATEMENT No. V.

Comparison with
the census returns.

There has been a falling off in every caste excepting Hindus in the general return ; but,
taking the circles severally, we find, as might naturally be expected, the proportion of
Christians in Calcutta to be much greater than in the districts. In the Metropolitan circles
the proportion of Mussulmans has fallen from 36.4 to 22.7, and this is accounted for by the
fact that Nuddea was the chief scene of operations in 1872-73, whereas in 1873-74 the
circles worked in the 24-Pergunnahs, Hooghly, and Burdwan. The census report gives the
proportion of Hindus to Mussulmans in the three above-named districts as follows:—
24-Pergunnahs—Hindus, 30 ; Mussulmans, 38: Hooghly—Hindus 79 ; Mussulmans, 20.1 :
Burdwan—Hindus, 82; and Mussulmans, 17. The proportions of the different castes
vaccinated by the Metropolitan circles as given in the table are therefore quite consistent
with the figures of the census report. In the Darjeeling circle, Mussulmans exceed
Hindus, and this corresponds fairly well with the census returns. In the Ranchee
circle the proportion of Hindus vaccinated has this year risen from 33.4 to 58.8, and
other castes have proportionally declined from 63.7 to 36.7. These figures are also
consistent with the census returns, which give for Lohardugga, Hindus 60, other castes 34.3 ;
and for Hazareebaugh, Hindus 83.9, other castes 6.5. In the Sonthal Pergunnahs, the
Sonthals contributed to the larger majority of the subjects of vaccination. In the Eastern
Bengal circle's vaccination the excess of Mussulmans is conspicuous, the ratio for the district
being 56.7 per cent. Dispensary vaccination again shows a very marked predominance
of Hindus. The large proportion of " other castes " is owing to the inclusion of the returns
of Chota Nagpore.