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                              GENERAL DEPARTMENT.
GOVERNMENT RESOLUTION, No. 828, 12TH MAY 1865.

His Excellency the Governor in Council is glad to learn that the Returns
for the year under report show a decided improvement, the total number of
Vaccinations being an increase of 64,899 over that of the preceding year. This
increase is very satisfactory.

2.    The number of Vaccinations in 1863 of children under one year of age
was 92,948, whereas the returns for the year under report give 109,551, being
an increase of 16,600. This also is satisfactory.

3.     Dr. Stovell states that the people in the Deccan and the S. M. Country
have stronger prejudices against infantile vaccinations than those in Guzerat
and Sind. The Revenue Commissioner S. D. should be directed to inquire
into the causes of this prejudice, and suggest to the Principal Inspector-General
the best means of removing it.

4.    His Excellency the Governor in Council believes that, as stated by Dr.
Stovell, the pratice of inoculation is disappearing in most districts, and it will
be sufficient in such districts to trust to the gradual spread of knowledge and
to the appreciation by the people of the practical benefits of vaccination. If,
however, it be found that professional inoculators still take advantage to any
extent of the ignorance of the people in the less civilized parts of the country,
it may be expedient to interfere. The Magistrate of Tanna should report on
the 28th paragraph of the report, when it will be considered how far the pro-
visions of the Penal Code are applicable.

5.    There is another mode, however, by which inoculation may be super-
seded by vaccination, and the Principal Inspector-General should direct the
Superintendents of Vaccination to turn their attention to it. It is not impro-
bable that those who have hitherto gained a livelihood by inoculation may be
induced to take employment as Vaccinators. The Governor in Council has been
informed of an instance in which an old Brahmin who formerly practised
inoculation would gladly enter the Government service as a Vaccinator. If
the payment were by successful results, no harm could result from a trial of
these suggestions.