17
Lymph in the Sindh
circle.
7th. In the Sindh circle Dr. Williams says :—" Speaking generally, the
" lymph this year is decidedly inferior in quality.
In
" some places the lymph was excellent, the vesicles
" well developed, and the cicatrix foveated.
In
" many others the lymph seemed purulent on the 6th or 7th day, the base of the
" vesicle at the same time inflamed and leaving a perfectly superficial mark.
" I attribute this to two causes : 1st, the greater difficulty in obtaining
" suitable vaccinifers, and 2nd, delay in having them conveyed to adjoining
" villages so that the areola had become fully formed and the lymph purulent
" before it could be used.
" The vaccinators and assistant superintendents are unquestionably to
" blame for using lymph after the full development of areola ; they cannot be
"persuaded to abandon such lymph when it has cost them much trouble to
" have it conveyed perhaps a considerable distance. However I have this year
" condemned the lymph in so many instances, and have inflicted such severe
" punishment that I trust there will be much less bad work from this cause
" in future. Two supplies were received from the superintendent general—
" one in December 1874 and the other in January 1875 : both failed."
Lymph in Kutch.
8th. In the Kutch circle " the lymph used during the year has acted
" well for the most part." The English lymph suc-
ceeded.
Lymph in Aden.
In Aden the lymph deteriorated in June, was renewed in July, was bad
in August, September, October and November, and
again renewed in December ; since then it has remain-
ed good.
On the whole it may be summed up that the lymph in general use was
good for the greater part of the year in all circles, but that it deteriorated
more or less in several in the rainy season.
I consider the very
most important duty of the superintendents and their assistants is to make
sure that vaccinators never work with bad lymph ; so great an evil is it for
a vaccinator to work with bad lymph, that it would bo far better not
to work at all. As we have by the weight of our position in a great
measure thrust vaccination on the acceptance of the people, we are morally
bound to give it of as good quality as possible ; and I can affirm from
my own knowledge that there is not the very slightest necessity for a
vaccinator, at any season of the year, working with deteriorated or bad
lymph; so I maintain that the quality of vaccinations should be good
everywhere and in all seasons.
Whenever the lymph deteriorates the
vaccinator should cease working with it.
Supplies of English vac-
cine virus.
32. We received as usual two small supplies of English lymph in
the months of December and January.
It was
issued to all circles, and the result of its use is ex-
hibited in the table below. It will be observed that
the first supply turned out successful in only three circles ; in three there was
imperfect success, and in other three it failed entirely. The second sup-
ply gave the same sum of results, but differently in circles: so out of the
two supplies success was obtained in five circles, imperfect success in two,
and in the Western and Sindh circles the English lymph was entirely
unsuccessful.
In Baroda circle good vaccinations were established from the
imperfect vesicles obtained from the English lymph ; so it may be said that
it succeeded in six circles.
B 99— c