Foreign Department

Abstract

This paper is an epitome of the History of the Introduction and Progress of Vaccination into Bengal," compiled principally from the reports successively published by the Suiperintendents-General of Vaccination, in Bengal-Messrs. Shoolbred, Cameron, and Stewart. The periods intervening between the dates of publication, comprise so many epochs in the history of this very interesting subject, beginning with the first notice nearly half a century ago, in 1804, by Dr. Shoolbred, continuing to the year 1829, the date of Mr. Cameron's report, and to that of 1843-44, when Dr. Stewart, the present Superintendent-General of Vaccination, presented his first report to the Government of Bengal. A late and second report, published by Dr. Stewart, has furnished the author of the paper with materials for adding a supplement, which brings down the account of vaccination in Bengal to the year 1850. The history of vaccination in Bengal furnishes reasons rather for painful commentary than for hearty congratulation on the introduction to our eastern possessions of the greatest boon which science has yet conferred on mankind, and for deep regret that a boon above all price, should have been virtually rejected by our Indian fellow-subjects, through ignorance and prejudice. Vaccination may be said to have been virtually rejected by the inhabitants of Bengal as a community, notwithstanding the desire and endeavours of the present rulers of India to introduce this inestimable blessing into the countries subject to their rule, placing it within every man's reach, notwithstanding the unwearied zeal and exertions of their medical officers to carry out the purpose of their directors, and notwithstanding the advantages of accepting it being so obvious, and the dangers incident to its rejection so appalling. Half a century has nearly elapsed since its first introduction, and still we hear of severe and fatal visitations of epidemic small-pox causing as much havoc in Calcutta as it does in any unprotected population or community. It does not appear that the natives of Bengal could have had any disinclination to adopt inoculation, which seems to have been practised from time immemorial, though the worship of the Goddess Situlh, who specially presides over small-pox, is general in Bengal, and some of her devotees are so bigoted that they refuse the protection of inoculation until one of their families falls a victim to variola, when they imagine the Divinity is propitiated by the sacrifice. Inoculation seems the universal practice throughout Bengal and the provinces subordinate to it, and is one of the chief obstacles to the reception of vaccination. Dr. Finch mentions several obstacles to the successful introduction of vaccination irn India, among them the chief are:-1. The dislike of the Hindoos to any innovation. 2. Their apathy or indifference to distant danger. 3. The practice of inoculation for small-pox. 4. Climate, which for one half of the year is unfavourable to vaccination. 5. Want of confidence in its protective powers. This last objection being of the latest origin, and of most obstinate tendency. A retrospective view of the introduction of vaccination does not offer any very immediate prospect of its general adoption by the natives of Bengal.