18
REPORT ON THE WORKING OF THE KING INSTITUTE, GUINDY
a week of the Director's visit. The staff consisted of Military Assistant Surgeon.
Theodore, then on special duty at the King Institute, in charge together with one
of the Institute laboratory attendants.
The laboratory worked under the immediate supervision of the Director and
was regarded as an offshoot of the King Institute, all the necessary stores, media
and apparatus being supplied as required from the Institute. At the termination
of the year under report there had already been a very definite improvement in
the health of the jail although the laboratory had only been at work for a very
short time.
4. The water supplies of the different jails were also periodically examined
at the Institute and advice given as to their improvement.
5. Assistance has also been rendered to the Medical Store-Keeper on several
occasions. Nine field dressings have been examined for sterility and samples of
chlorinated lime made by the department have been tested for the chlorine
content.
The disinfecting properties of some samples of bromin.ated lime which had
been made at the stores, were also tested. The results of these tests were
embodied in a paper by Captain McCullock, I.M.D., which will be published in the
Indian Journal of Medical Research.
6. Various sera and perishable medical supplies have been as usual stored in
the cold store for the Veterinary Department. The care and issue of these articles
falls entirely upon the packing department of the Institute.
7. 7.50 litres of 10 per cent bleach solution, containing from 15 to 20 per cent
of available chlorine, have been made up at the Institute and issued to the Sanitary
Department for anti-cholera work at Kumbakōnam, Palamcottah and Ahobilam. A
portion of the cost of this supply was borne from the Institute budget.
8. The water supplies of the larger stations of the various railway systems
were periodically examined during the year, and, in cases where any defects were
found, advice as to the necessary remedial measures was also given.
V.—EDUCATIONAL.
Although the King Institute is not primarily a teaching Institute, the follow
¬ing classes were held during the year under report :—
1. The usual vacci nat ors’ cl ass was hel d from 28t h February t o 10t h March
1922. Thirty-seven candidates attended the class and all of them received
qualifying marks at the termination of the course.
2. A special vaccination class for Health Officers was also held for one week
during December 1921. Sixteen attended the class and displayed great interest
in the process of vaccine lymph manufacture which was demonstrated to them.
All obtained qualifying marks at the examination at the end of the course.
3. At the request of the Principal, Medical College, and under G.O. Mis. No.
394-P.H., dated 11th March 1922, a special malaria class for the Health Officers
was also held at the King Institute of Preventive Medicine, Guindy, from 28th
February to 24th March 1922. This class was attended by 16 Medical Officers
and consisted of lectures and practical work both in the laboratory and in the field.
4. The plague inoculation class commenced in 1918 under G.O. No. 285, Medi-
cal, dated 18th June 1918, was held regularly every month, throughout the year.
Besides plague inoculation this class has been extended so as to include a short
survey of clinical bacteriology. These officers were also instructed in the different
ways in which the bacteriologist can be of use to the clinician and the best methods
of sending specimens for examination to the laboratory. One hundred and six
Medical Officers attended these classes during the year.
5. The following medical men worked in the Institute and received instruc-
tion in bacteriological methods :—
(1) Captain G. S. K. Ayyar, I.M.S., for a fortnight.
(2) Military Assistant Surgeon J. M. Sterling, I.M.D., for three months.