10
The average cost per successful case varied from Re. 0-4-4 in Malabar to
Re. 0-11-6 in Cuddapah District.
In municipal areas, the average cost ranged from 'Re. 0-2-5 in Calicut to
Rs. 1-9-0 in Palakole. Reference to the latter place was made even in last year's
report and the high cost is presumably due to the comparatively low outturn of
work and the low success rate.
27. The number of vaccinated cases inspected in 1928-29 by District Health
Officers ranged from 739 in Cuddapah to 6,393 in Malabar. Three District
Health Officers inspected less than 1,000 cases, 13 less than 2,000, two less than
3,000, four less than 4,000, two less than 5,000 and one less than 7,000. As most
of the District Health Officers were engaged on cholera preventive work, the
number of inspected cases has fallen during the year.
In the case of municipalities having Health Officers, the number of inspec-
tions ranged from 351 in Hindupur to 15,393 in Madura. The work of 12 Health
Officers fell short of the prescribed minimum of 75 per cent and their explanations
will be called for.
The total number of operations and the number of cases inspected by District
and Municipal Health Officers are given in Annexure C of the report.
In the 43 municipalities where no Health Officers are employed, the percent-
age of cases inspected by the medical officers in charge of vaccination varied
from 17.4 in Chittoor to 99.4 in Bimlipatam. Thirty-one medical officers
inspected more than 75 per cent, five between 65 and 75 per cent, three between
50 and 65 per cent and the rest four below 50 per cent. The attention of the
Surgeon-General will be invited to the instances in which the inspection rates
are low.
District Medical Officers and Civil Surgeons inspected 11,572 cases against
7,979 cases in 1927-28.
Two hundred and thirty-one Health Inspectors inspected more than 85 per
cent of the cases and 52 failed to reach the prescribed minimum. Suitable action
will be taken against those Health Inspectors whose explanations for the shortage
in inspection are unsatisfactory.
28. The mortality from smallpox during the last seven years is given in the
following statement:—
1922-23 ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
1923-24
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
1924-25
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
1925-26
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
1926-27
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
1927-28
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
1928-29
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Deaths from smallpox.
26,526
26,626
20,227
14,498
9,816
7,610
8,756
The progressive decline in the mortality from smallpox in recent years is a
feature which the Public Health Department may well be proud of.
Approximately, 82 per cent of the deaths from this disease in 1928-29 were
reported from rural areas and 18 per cent from municipal towns. This
distribution is more or less in proportion to the populations in rural and urban
areas.
29. The districts of South Arcot (1,223 deaths), Tanjore (767) and Malabar
(670) were responsible for nearly 37 per cent of the smallpox mortality in the
rural areas of the Presidency. In the first of these districts especially, the
condition of vaccination has been unsatisfactory for a number of years. Reduction
in mortality is possible only if the local boards give effect to the proposals made
by the District Health Officers. The district which returned the smallest number
of deaths (10) was the Nilgiris.