72
REVACCINATIONS.
RÁJKOT JAIL.
In accordance with the instructions contained in the letter of the In-
spector General, Indian Medical Department, No. 3215 of 1872, dated 13th
of September last ; and also the recommendation contained in the letter No. 669
of 1872-73 of the Superintendent General of Vaccination, Bombay Presidency,
dated 26th September 1872, I have the honour to forward herewith a detailed
statement of revaccinations carried on among the prisoners at the Rajkot jail,
the results of which I am satisfied by personal observation have been most
carefully and diligently noted by 3rd Class Hospital Assistant Rámráo Jánú
attached to the jail hospital.
The total number of prisoners vaccinated was 70, of whom 46 were pro-
tected by small-pox ; 8 were protected by previous vaccination and 16 by
revaccination. It will thus be observed that not a single unprotected case
was to be found among all the prisoners in the jail, a circumstance that speaks
well for the careful and efficient manner in which vaccination has been per-
formed in the province for some time ; although the fact that there were 46
prisoners who had small-pox previously, the great majority in their childhood,
would tend to prove that inoculation is still widely practised among the peasantry
of Káthewád.
Of the 46 cases protected by small-pox, vaccination was successful in 26
cases or in the proportion of 56.52 per cent. ; unsuccessful in 13 cases or 28.26
per cent., and doubtful in 7 cases or 15.21 per cent. ; or in other words it was
found that the number of successful cases was about double the number of the
unsuccessful ; and nearly four times that of the doubtful cases.
There were no doubtful cases in those previously vaccinated.
Finally, as regards those cases, 16 in number, protected by revaccination
only 2 or 12.5 per cent. were successful; whereas 14 or 87.5 per cent. were
unsuccessful ; or in other words the successful cases were to the unsuccesful
nearly in the proportion of 1 to 7.
Revising the results of the foregoing experiments, if it be permitted to
draw inferences from the figures above stated and if we are to regard suscep-
tibility to vaccination as a measure of liability to the attacks of small-pox, it
will be conceded that neither infant vaccination nor a previous attack of
small-pox affords a very efficient protection against a subsequent attack ; and
that the best hope of security would seem to lie in revaccination. I would,
however, respectfully submit that the number of cases experimented on is
hardly sufficient to warrant us in making deductions in any other than a
tentative manner ; and that our duty lies rather in carefully noting and stating
facts than in dogmatizing on what at best in the present state of our knowledge
can be but a theory.
I am at present conducting a further series of investigations into this
most important and highly interesting subject, the results of which shall be
duly laid before you and may it is to be hoped shed some further light
upon what now seems obscure, and so enable us to correct inferences we may
be disposed to draw too hastily from the facts and figures now presented to
your notice.
(Signed)
E. SEXTON, M.D., Surgeon Major.
6th March 1873.