to act in promoting the progress of the measure. According to Dr.

Shoolbred there were performed up

to the 31st December 1803 no fewer than 11,166 vaccinations in Calcutta and other 1803. parts of the
Bengal Presidency; and during that year and the next the measure was extended to Prince of Wales's
Island, to Sumatra, and to Bhuranpore and other cities of the Mahratta Empire. In 1816 the general duty
of superintending vaccination in Bengal was taken over by the Medical Board, the work of the
Superintendent-General being confined to Calcutta, from which place vaccine was distributed
throughout the Presidency. In the Madras and Bombay Presidencies the organisation was very similar,*
the work of vaccination being entrusted to the supervision of civil surgeons who had a staff of native
vaccinators under them ; the civil surgeons worked under the authority of the superintending surgeons
of Divisions, who in turn were directed by the Presidency Medical Board. In these two Presidencies the
some natives as a whole had even at this* early period few prejudices $SS to against vaccination, but in
Bengal the obstacles to be overcome im- were very great. In 1804 Dr. Shoolbred drew attention to the
determined opposition of the whole tribe of Brahmin inoculators, to the stupidity and apathy of natives
of all ranks and descriptions, and to the fact that although it was hoped the circumstance of the vaccine
coming originally from the cow, an animal so highly revered by Hindoos, would have acted in favour of
the measure, it had entirely the contrary effect. In addition it was found to be exceedingly difficult to
maintain the supply of vaccine during the hot season. An important feature of the campaign in Bengal
and other parts of India where the practice of smallpox inoculation prevailed, has always been the
endeavour to convert the numerous ticcadars (inoculators) into vaccinators, and from one point of
Pensions to view this plan of conciliation rather than suppres