ROUGHING IT IN SOUTHERN INDIA 133 



CHAPTER XII 



Government order for general vaccination — Order rescinded — Lepers — 

 Country leprosy — Cholera. 



At one time when smallpox was especially virulent through- 

 out F.'s district, The Wynad then, orders were issued by 

 the Government that every one should be vaccinated. 

 Centres had to be arranged at which the people might 

 assemble for this purpose. This was only accomplished 

 after endless obstacles and difficulties of all kinds had been 

 met, for there was a strong prejudice against vaccination. 

 I don't think we were altogether free from it ourselves, but 

 there was no resisting stringent Government orders. Every 

 coffee planter in the district, far and near, was to see that 

 his hundreds of coolies duly presented themselves. With 

 estate muster-rolls this was possible, but it was not so easy 

 to get hold of the scattered units of the general population 

 in outlying parts. 



By dint of careful planning and proper organisation the 

 business had, however, been put in train for some weeks. 

 A letter in English from a native Forest subordinate which 

 I remember hearing quoted described the method about 

 to be used. He wrote that they intended to ' persuade by 

 force ' ; and I don't doubt that by means of it many a 

 struggling wretch was dragged to the operating station 

 against his will. 



It had been arranged that all under Forest jurisdiction 

 within a certain radius should be vaccinated in our com- 

 pound, for the convenience of the division and to ensure 

 every person being included ; not a single one was to be 



