2
No. 2393,
3RD OCTOBER 1929
number of vaccine doses issued was 1,064,490 against 727,000 in 1927-28. The
Government observe that the value of cholera inoculation is being realized by
the general public increasingly. There was a definite increase in the supply of
autogenous vaccine in spite of the fact that the General Hospital makes its own
autovaccines. The number of Wassermann tests done during the year was
16,081 against 16,071 in 1927-23 and over 2,000 kahn tests were also done.
The rate of fee for Wassermann test in respect of the cases sent by the medical
practitioners in the Madras City has, as an experimental measure, been reduced
from Rs. 32 to Rs. 5. The Government trust that this reduction will tend to
increase the number of tests.
6. The samples of foodstuff analysed were, as in the previous year, mostly
hospitals tenders in the City and the Presidency and only a few were from private
individuals. The Madras Prevention of Adulteration Act, 1918, having been
extended to the City of Madras and ten other mufassal municipal towns from
1st July 1929 the Government hope that there will be an increase in the number
of samples of foodstuff for analysis. A small number of samples of drugs
examined during the year with reference to a circular issued by the Surgeon-
General showed the very serious need for analytical control of dispensed prescrip-
tions. The result of further investigations and the steps that will have to be
taken to bring about improvement in the matter will be watched with interest.
7. The investigation units attached to the Institute continued to do valuable
work in the surveys of
(1) rat flea,
(2) filariasis, and
(3) other special investigations.
8. The third report on the experiments conducted at the Experimental
Filter Station at Kilpauk was communicated to the President, Corporation of
Madras, in G.O. No. 709, P.H., dated 15th March 1929, and he was requested to
report the views of the Madras Corporation on the recommendations made in the
report. The President is requested to expedite the views of the Corporation in
the matter. Owing to the experiments carried out at this Filter Station, the
Institute had to examine a far larger number of samples of water than in the
previous years. The Institute also carried out as usual the periodical examina-
tion of samples from all protected water-supplies in the Presidency. The attention
of the Municipal Councils concerned is invited to the observations made in the
report on the condition of water-supply in certain municipalities and they are
requested to take necessary steps to remedy the defects pointed out therein.
9. The Director reports that the untreated well water in many of the jails
was grossly polluted and he urges that the local investigations recommended by
him in his last two reports should be carried out. The Government have received
a special report from the Inspector-General of Prisons on the question and have
come to the conclusion that no special investigation of the water-supply in the
wells of jails is necessary. The existing precautionary measures of chlorination
of water and periodical inspection of the supply should be continued.
10. The water supplied at some of the railway stations is reported to be
either definitely bad or unsatisfactory and systematic chlorination has been
recommended in many cases. The Government trust that this recommendation
will be carried out by the Railway authorities concerned. As regards the water
supplied to the Hospet Railway Station the Director reports that it is still derived
from the drainage water of a neighbouring plantation. It is also reported that
the practice of supplying water by tin cans from open buckets instead of through
closed cans with spouts continues to prevail at some of the stations. The Agents
of the M. & S.M. and the S.I. Railway Cos. are requested to see that the
practice is discontinued.
11. In order to obtain a first-hand knowledge of the local conditions,
a survey of the water-supplies of the Presidency was undertaken during the year
1927. No progress is reported to have been made in the matter on account of