PRESIDENCY VACCINE DEPARTMENT.             27

certain amount of influence on the result. I might besides dilate on the
advantages of attending to many other precautions which, though small
in themselves, may be more or less important when spread over large
numbers. Were I to do so, it would only serve to lead to erroneous
conclusions, as the explanation is to be found mainly in the following
three points, to which I attach a value in the order in which they are
placed. (1.) All of these vaccinations have been practised from arm
to arm. (2.) The supply of virus has been practically unlimited, and
its selection entrusted to only the most competent persons. (3.) No
man has been allowed to vaccinate largely till he has shewn himself
expert.

With regard to the last two points I shall add nothing more, but
will now make a few observations in regard to the importance of arm
to arm vaccination. If there is one thing of which I am more convinced
than of another, with regard to public vaccination in India, it is
of the fact, that if even a remote approach to perfection is aimed at, it
can only be reached through arm to arm vaccination. Preserved lymph,
crusts, and other contrivances for avoiding arm to arm vaccination, to
my mind constitute only so many agencies for making failure more easy.

Under many circumstances such are the only available means for
commencing vaccination; but when one perfect vesicle has been
procured, to continue to vaccinate with crusts, or lymph preserved in
any way, is to court failure.

Every one of the cases vaccinated in the Mofussil have this year
been performed from arm to arm. Of course each of the Superin-
tendents, as well as myself, was aware that such was practically true,
but in case a single crust or tube or other means had been used,
unknown to us, the vaccinators were asked the question and deny that
on even a single occasion was this the case. This is only an instance
of a right principle having been carried too far. If the practice of
arm to arm vaccination is universally carried out, a few exceptions to
the rule, if judiciously allowed, would not materially affect the results,
and serve somewhat to render vaccination on such a large scale rather
more easy. In after years, when the people have been drilled into the
necessity of complying with the exigencies of arm to arm vaccination,
the vaccinators may be safely trusted to employ stored lymph to help
them on any emergency, and the knowledge of the superior efficacy
of fresh lymph, will prevent them from abusing the privilege. For
the present I consider that the Superintendents can hardly be too