( 8 )

For the reason explained in the last triennial report, this table has been
prepared for the last year of the period under review, and a column has been
added for purposes of comparison, showing the proportion of persons success-
fully vaccinated in 1895-96 per thousand of the surviving population under
one year of age available for vaccination.

It will be seen that with the exception of a few districts, the protection
afforded to infants in 1898-99 was greater than it was three years ago. The
noticeable feature of this return is the great variation which exists in the
several districts regarding the degree of protection afforded to infants under
one year. Whereas in Malda the number of infants successfully vaccinated per
thousand was as large as 856, in Puri it was only 24. No doubt the pre-
judice to infant vaccination which exists in many districts accounts to
some extent for the difference as shown in this table, but I am inclined to
think that, in some districts at least, the successful results are due to the
interest and activity shown by the local officers in pushing on vaccination.
I do not see any reason why, with persevering care and tact on the part of the
local officers, the ratio of successful infant vaccination can not be much higher
than it is at present.

Revaccination.

7. The following table shows the particulars of revaccination for the
three years under review as compared with the
previous triennial period:—