of the late Sickness at Akyab. 29 



that the number of individuals attacked, bears no proportion to former 

 years. This double remark applies to almost every village in the 

 Province. The consideration, therefore, of the causes which induce 

 so painful a result, will be of the first importance. Cholera, small- 

 pox, and fever in all its varied phases, have been the cause of this 

 increase of sickness, and consequent mortality. 



9. "With respect to sanatory suggestions for the suppression or 

 amelioration of cholera, so much diversity of opinion hangs over the 

 subject, that it will be useless to refer to its consideration with regard 

 to specific measures. The subject of locality, bad food, &c, will be 

 deferred to an after part of this report, as these considerations in- 

 fluence all disease ; and a more general view of this important subject 

 can then be taken. 



10. Small-pox happily admits not only of palliation in progress, but 

 of almost positive suppression. The merits of vaccination are so 

 well acknowledged, and its powerful and general application so well 

 understood, that it would be superfluous to urge the necessity of its 

 adoption universally, throughout the province. To allude, however, to 

 the difficulties attending its introduction amongst the Mughs, will 

 certainly not be irrelevant to the subject in consideration. I need only 

 refer to the satisfactory and gratifying result of vaccination in Ramree ; 

 where prejudice, and no ordinary degree of superstition have been 

 overcome by energy and talent, and when the result proves the feasi- 

 bility of its introduction. One of the difficulties attending the intro- 

 duction of vaccination, is the silent acknowledgment of inoculation by 

 the executive. The Mughs have for years been taught to consider 

 inoculation as the only preventive against small-pox, and this idea 

 has been fostered, and its pernicious doctrines inculcated by their 

 Phoongyees, or priests, who at the time of its dissemination, invest the 

 act with a certain degree of superstitious veneration, and numbers 

 have in consequence been sacrificed. On the contrary, when a person 

 in England dies after and from the effects of inoculation, the inocula- 

 tor is held to be criminal, and the act subjects him to the law accor- 

 dingly. On these grounds, I would recommend, that every practicable 

 means be adopted to discourage the practice of inoculation by the 

 Government ; to combat the previous effects of ignorance must be 



