( 7 )
Munich and Cologne they rely on 10 days' contact with glycerine admixture as
sufficient to kill off all extraneous micro-organisms. On the Continent they rarely
or never make plate cultures now-a-days.
Up to recently we relied on air pressure for filling tubes and I am greatly
indebted to Major J. Entrican, I.M.S., of Meiktila (Burma) for the loan of his machine
for rapidly filling tubes—an invention which I can safely say has revolutionised
the laborious task: of tube filling. This instrument consists of a glass cylinder
(receiver) mounted on a brass stand into which the lymph is placed and over the
top of which is fitted very accurately a screw-down rubber-edged metal cap. Two
small taps pierce the metal collar of the cylinder. Through the centre of the cap
a piston-like rod holds a horizontal plate into which has been cut a series of holes,
each hole containing a bundle of 100 capillary tubes. The tubes are sealed at one
end and held tight by rubber rings. The air is now extracted by an air pump
fitted on to a tap in the brass collar of the glass receiver, and the tubes dipped
into the lymph mixture by lowering the piston and horizontal plate. When the
other tap is opened air gains admission and drives the lymph up the tubes by
pressure. As much lymph as may be necessary is withdrawn from the tubes by
the air pump.
At Cologne and Munich they fill tubes by a rubber air pressure bulb worked
by hand and can only fill one or two at a time, but the number of tubes that can
instantly be filled by Major Entrican's machine is only limited by the amount
of lymph and the holes in the horizontal plate (each hole containing a bundle
of 100 tubes).
The total number of primary operations performed in these Provinces with
pure unmixed calf lymph during 1907-08 was 19,349 against 18,798 in 1906-07
and 18,788 in the year preceding it—the percentage of success being 99.08 against
99.10 in 1906-07 and the year preceding it. This lymph was entirely prepared at the
Lucknow depôt and used in that district. We do not issue pure unmixed calf lymph
from the Patwa Dangar depôt. The number of primary vaccinations performed with
glycerinated lymph in the Provinces was 100,912 in 1907-08 as compared with 77,592
in 1906-07 and 32,123 in 1905-06—the percentages of success being 91.49, 91.66
and 91.54 respectively. Seventeen thousand five hundred and twenty secondary
vaccinations were performed with glycerinated lymph in 1907-08 aganist 4,397
in the preceding year and 4,037 in 1905-06—the percentages of success in this
case being 66.05, 50.30 and 55.66 respectively. Lanoline lymph was used in 245
primary operations during 1907-08 as compared with 329 in 1906-07 and 305 in
1905-06—the percentages of success being 100.00, 94.53 and 96.72 respectively.
I hope shortly to be able to make arrangements that will permit of arm-to-
arm vaccination being entirely done away with. Our great difficulty is an ade-
quate supply of calves, which have nearly all to be brought a long distance by
road and rail to the institute at Patwa Dangar. After operation they are returned
to their owners, and as we pay Rs. 4 per calf hire, plus travelling expenses
to and fro, the cost per operation done with glycerine lymph will considerably
exceed the present low provincial figure.
Vaccination instruments.
20, Weir's metal combined scarifiers and lancets, forged entirely of solid
steel and nickel-plated, were introduced last year and
issued to many districts. They are a great improve-
ment on the needles set in ivory handles—the old form of scarifier.
Conduct of officials.
21. The conduct of officials has on the whole
been satisfactory.
Conclusion.
22. It is gratifying to note that notwithstanding the widespread prevalence
of plague during the triennium under report vaccina-
tion work has not appreciably suffered. During the
past season famine and vague fears of plague inoculation have not been without
their effect.
NAINI TAL :
The 26th June 1908
J. CHAYTOR WHITE, M.D., D.P.H. (CAMB.),
MAJOR, I.M.S.,
Sany Commr. & Supdt, Genl. of Vaccination,
United Provinces.