Proceedings of the Hon'ble the Lieutenant.Governor of the Punjab in the Home (Medical and Sanitary) Depart-
ment,—No. 488, dated 23rd August 1889.
READ—
The Report on Vaccination in the Punjab for the official year 1888-89, by Surgeon-Major
A. STEPHEN, M.A., M.B., Sanitary Commissioner, Punjab.
REMARKS.—The total strength of the Vaccination Staff of the Province
was the same in 1888-89 as in the previous year, viz., 35 Native Supervisors and
290 Vaccinators.
2. The expenditure amounted to Rs. 76,483 compared with Rs. 67,906
in the previous year, an increase of Rs. 8,577. An explanation of the increased
expenditure is given in paragraph 4 of the Report. Owing, however, to the very
large increase of operations, the cost of each successful vaccination fell from one
anna nine pies to one anna seven pies.
3. It is satisfactory to notice the large increase in the number of vacci-
nations during 1888-89. In the previous year the number was 680,742, while
in the year under review it rose to 942,295; an increase of 261,553. The increase
would have been more satisfactory had it been spread more equally over the Pro-
vince and not confined, as it was, chiefly to the Kángra District.
Of the total number of operations performed, 668,458 were cases of
primary vaccinations and 273,837 cases of re-vaccination. The proportion of
successful operations, 95 per cent. in primary vaccinations, is the same as it was
in the previous year, while in the case of re-vaccination it has risen from 46 to
52 per cent. In the calendar year 1888 there were 703,113 births recorded
in the Province. In the same year 140,750 children under one year of age died.
During the financial year 1888-89, 444,508 children under one year of age were
vaccinated. From these figures a rough idea may be formed as to the large
number of infants—probably very considerably over 100,000—who go unvaccinat-
ed each year. It is not surprising, therefore, that the mortality from small-pox
among infants under one year of age should be so large as it is. In 1887 the
total number of deaths from this cause under that age was 4,034 ; in 1888
4,347. And the mortality will doubtless remain high till the unprotected
balance of infants is reduced.
4. It has been stated above that the extraordinary increase in the
number of vaccinations in 1888-89 took place chiefly in the Kángra District. In
it no less than 240,784 persons were vaccinated during the year, or about one-
third of the population of the district. The selection of Pandit Balkishen by the
Deputy Commissioner to conduct vaccination operations in this district thus
proved to be a happy one. Amritsar shows a very fair increase. There was a
backward tendency in the Gurgaon, Ráwalpindi, Dera Gházi Khan, Ferozepore
and Hazára Districts. The Ráwalpindi District was also unfavorably noticed
in last year's Review.
5. The Special Staff did good work during the year, performing 25,026
more operations than in the previous year, when 80,409 operations were conduct-
ed by its members. The same cannot be said in favor of the Cantonment and
Dispensary Staff, both of which, especially the former, did less work in the year
under review.
6. In nearly one-ninth of the whole number of operations performed animal
lymph was used. There were 10,398 persons vaccinated with cow-calf lymph
and 93,774 with buffalo-calf lymph. The results in this respect were especially
good at Amritsar, where no less than 50,388 persons were vaccinated with buf-
falo-calf lymph, leaving less than 4,000 operated on by the arm-to-arm process.