228 
Proceedings of Societies. 
[July, 
numbers of the lower classes are daily vaccinated by the vaccinators attached to 
the department ; and of late, he thinks, they shew a greater disposition to avail 
themselves of the antidote than formerly; owing probably to the greater preva- 
lence of small-pox, of which disease they have a very great horror. In conse- 
quence of the great prevalence of small-pox at many of the stations under this 
Presidency, for upwards of twelve months ; — at Mr. Cameron’s suggestion, a 
letter was addreseed to the different Superintending Surgeons, by the Medical 
Board, calling upon them to furnish information on the subject, and desiring to 
know if small-pox had supervened on vaccination, and to what extent. In the 
replies received, although the disease prevailed epidemically, not one case is men- 
tioned of genuine small-pox occurring after vaccination. In many cases that 
had been previously vaccinated, a modified disease shewed itself at several sta- 
tions, which went through its course mildly, and disappeared in a few days: 
thus shewing that although vaccination is not entirely a preventive against 
small-pox ; yet that, in those cases where it does occur, the disease is com- 
paratively mild, passing off without leaving those dreadful consequent 
which generally follow an aggravated attack of small pox. We are therefore 
(urges Mr- C.) fully warranted in asserting, that Vaccine Inoculation still main- 
tains its ground. _ . 
With the view of conquering the prejudices of the Natives, on the subject ot 
vaccination, Mr. C. adverts to the fact of Government having directed that 
Native Doctors, educated at the Medical Institution, so ably presided over ny the 
late Dr. Breton, should be instructed in Vaccination, and sent to out-stations 
where the natives had previously no means of availing themselves of this blessing. 
He bears gratifying testimony to the result of this experiment with respect to if 
Native Doctor sent to Munneepore. The vaccine vesicle, as it now exists m 
India, lias been repeatedly compared by Mr. Cameron, throughout all its stages, 
with the plates of Dr. Jenner and Dr. Willan ; and they correspond, he thin s, 
in every essential particular. We regret that want of space does not adnn o 
our quoting some of the reports from the up-country stations adverted to by f u 
C., nor of giving his remarks on imperfect vaccination. Suffice it — that vaccina 
tion is imperfect — first, when the fluid employed has lost some of its ongiM 
properties ; secondly, when the persons vaccinated are soon afterwards ancc 
with any contagious fever ; and thirdly, when they are affected at the time 
inoculation with some chronic cutaneous disorder. . 
With respect to Mr. Henderon’s statement on Cholera at Bombay It 1S P 
mised that the H. C. S. Berwickshire, with a crew of 150 of the ordinary ag > 
larger proportion than usual of whom had not before crossed the equa > 
anchored in Bombay Harbour, on the 5th June 1830, with a cargo almost w 1 ^, 
consisting of coals and cases of military stores. Her passage had been ffi^oura^* 
and there were only five men on the sick list. From the 5th to the 10 > 
work on board was very light. The weather during that interval was >a ^ 
sultry, particularly on the 6th and 9th. For several days before the arrival o 
ship, the weather had been cloudless, and the thermometer and barometer ne 
steady, the former at 84° and the latter at 29-90 inches ; and from the 
arrival until the 10th, the thermometer had indicated a gradual rise ot 3 > 
the barometer a corresponding fall of 0-11 of an inch. As soon as e ^ 
arrived in the harbour, the crew were put on fresh provisions as usual, and 
7th, water was procured from a well belonging to Jemsetjee Irjeebhoy, aD( ^ 
veyed from it to the casks in the boats by bheesties in their skin bags. This we 
the character of retaining water longer than most others in dry seasons. • ^ 
of those examined, it has been described as thick and discoloured, by so 
being slimy, and others observed animalculse in it. , xt 
On the 6th and 9th, both sultry days, there were squalls from ^. e y c h 
accompanied with thunder and lightning, and a little rain. “ The squa l ^ 
occurred on the 9th has been described, by all who were questioned regar 1 
as being accompanied with a chilly blast of air from the N. E. for abo ^ 
minutes, and followed by a hot air or wind from the same quarter. ^ ^j(e 
those who were examined saw nothing very remarkable in the squa! 11, 
others remarked at the time, a peculiar lurid appearance in the sky, and ofl> 
the alternations of the hot and cold blasts as being very sudden and unco 
Some even remarked a peculiar unpleasant smell to accompany the M- ’ e( jjly 
At this time, many of the crew were seated on the forecastle ; but they sp 
went below on the first appearance of rain with the squall, while, at t 1 
time, the ports of the gun-decks were dropped, or half closed.’’ 
