REPORT ON THE WORKING OF THE KING INSTITUTE, GUINDY
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IV.—SCIENTIFIC.
(i) VACCINE SECTION.
(a) Seed lympk.—The seed lymph used throughout the year was carried
over from the stock which had given such satisfactory results during the
preceding season. Continued potency was assured by Nejland's method or by
minor modifications of this method. The Institute has thus for the second
season in succession been self-contained so far as seed lymph is concerned
and has not found it necessary to rely on other Institutes for seed in order to
commence the season's operations. This is a most important and satisfactory
advance on the older regime and it is to be hoped that the vaccine section will now
be able to retain the potency of its seed indefinitely by the means at present at its
command. It is yet too early to state positively, however, that this can be done
under all conditions.
(b) Substitution of glycerine lymph for lanoline lymph as the routine lymph for the
Presidency. —A special report dealing with the relative values of lanoline and
untreated glycerine lymph was written and forwarded to Government in 1922.
Government in their G.O. No. 1421–P.H., dated 16th October 1922, passed orders on
this report. They accepted the conclusions arrived at that untreated glycerine
lymph should be substituted for lanoline lymph as the routine supply for the
Madras Presidency and that this type of lymph should be introduced as soon as the
King Institute was in a position to manufacture the total quantity of glycerine
lymph required. As a different technique is required for the preparation of this
type of lymph the Director was requested to report on the additional apparatus
required for this purpose. This report, including a detailed indent, was sent to
Government on 22nd March 1923 and was accepted by them in their G.O.
No. 742–P.H., dated the 7th May 1923. It is to be hoped that these stores will
arrive at the Institute in time for the coming vaccine lymph manufacturing
season so that complete effect may be given to Government's orders as early as
possible.
(c) Types of lymph issued during the year.—Lanolinated lymph has formed
the bulk of the lymph issued during the year under report. The general policy
since the receipt of Government's orders on the subject however has been the
gradual substitution of lanolinated by glycerinated lymph wherever this has been
found possible.
A general issue of 10 per cent of glycerine lymph was made during the year
until 31st October 1922. On the receipt of the Government Order already referred
to, the percentage of glycerine lymph issued was raised to 25 per cent and this per
centage was again increased to 50 per cent from 13th December 1922. From 1st
November 1922 the indents from the military, jails and private bodies were met
entirely with glycerine lymph and from 1st March 1923 all extra indents were
dealt with in the same way. The reserve stock for the hot weather has also been
built up of with this type of lymph alone. The total amount of glycerine lymph
issued during the year was thus very considerably increased and forms nearly one
quarter of the total amount of lymph used for vaccinaticn purposes.
(d) Results obtained with glycerine and lanoline lymph. —The general issue of
a new form upon which the vaccination results are returned to the Institute has
resulted in the receipt of more detailed information than has been given in
previous years. The results for revaccinations* as well as primary vaccinations
have been calculated this year for the first time and the insertion success rates
for both types are also given. Returns for 953,708 primary vaccinations and
198,262 revaccinations making a total of 1,151,970 have been received during the
year.
* In the Madras Presidency primary, secondary and revaccinations are defined thus :-
Primary vaccination is the vaccination of a person who has never been previously vaccinated and has not
suffered from an attack of smallpox.
Secondary vaccination is one done on a person who failed to take in the first operation.
Revaccination is operation performed on a person who has been already vaccinated successfully or who had
a previous attack of smallpox.
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