4
REPORT ON THE WORKING OF THE KING INSTITUTE, GUINDY
districts show a shortage of over 30 per cent and in the case of Coimbatore,
Guntūr, Tanjore, Cuddapah, Vizagapatam, Nellore, North Arcot, Chingleput,
0Madura and Rā mnā d the difference is over 40 per cent. The percentage of
shortage for the combined municipalities and the Madras Corporation are 22.1 and
24.1, respectively.
The number of returns received from the jails, military and other
miscellaneous bodies is almost negligible when compared with the amount of lymph
issued to them.
The only conclusion which can be drawn from a review of these figures is
that a considerable proportion of the lymph sent out from the Institute is not used
or if used the results are not recorded. In either case there is room for consider
¬ a b l e i m p r o v e m e n t f o r , q u i t e a p a r t f r o m t h e l a b o u r a n d m o n e y e x p e n d e dt
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little or no purpose, statistics derived from such incomplete returns are useless
and misleading.
71,654 doses of bacterial vaccine were issued from the microbiological
section during the year. The number of specimens examined by this section was
5,708. This does not include the number of examinations of a similar nature
carried out by the various investigation units which amounted to 17,487. The
number of specimens examined in the Public Health section was 2,618. These
figures will be examined in more detail later.
III.—FINANCIAL.
A financial statement (statement No. 3) showing the estimated earning
capacity of the Institute as well as the cost of upkeep has been prepared again
this year. An attempt at greater accuracy has been made by including the cost
of repairs and improvements to buildings and electric plant carried out by the
Public Works Department. Separate accounts for the various sections have not
been kept during the present year. It has therefore been impossible to show
the expenditure and earning capacity for the individual sections separately as was
done last year.
The financial effect of the increase of staff sanctioned by Government was felt
during the latter part of the year. The increase in the manufacture of Institute
products and examinations performed, however, more than compensates for any
increased expenditure incurred under this heading. The total earning capacity
of the Institute for the present year amounts to Rs. 4,08,626 and the total
expenditure to Rs. 2,19,436 leaving an estimated net profit of Rs. 1,89,190 for the
year's working. These figures compare very favourably with those of the previous
year. The receipts have been increased by Rs. 98,142 while the rise in the
expenditure is only Rs. 19,232 giving an increase in the estimated net profits of
Rs. 78,910 for the current year. These figures do not include the value of the
examinations carried out by the various investigation units although these could
very properly be included in the receipt column as a set off against the actual
expenses connected with them. Neither do they include any estimate of their
indirect value in preventing the increased expenditure incurred in other departments
owing to the presence of epidemic disease. In addition no credit has been allowed
for any research work which has been carried out during the year. It can safely
be said therefore that the King Institute, while showing a very satisfactory profit
on the year's working, can place to its credit a still larger amount of valuable work
which cannot be actually reckoned in terms of rupees but still has a very definite,
if indirect, monetary value.
In their review (G.O. No. 154-P.H., dated the 29th January 1923) of the annual
report for the year 1921–22, Government recognized the economic value of the
King Institute and has ordered an investigation into the possibility of the annual
preparation of a pro forma account of its working. For this purpose they have
ordered an officer of the accounts department to be deputed to examine the
Institute accounts and report upon the feasibility of their suggestion. This
investigation has not yet been carried out owing to the fact that the particular
officer who was deputed for this purpose has been transferred to another Province.