3
No. 145, dated 21st January 1898.
No. 417, dated 18th October 1898.
independently in pairs as hitherto. From this change of system Dr. Roe
anticipated an increase in the number of operations, but it can hardly be said that
his expectations have been realised. In its
letters noted on the margin the Government of
India observed that the "new system introduced
into the Province to secure more systematic work on the part of the operators
would lead to a considerable increase in the number of operations has not been
realised," and "it would be instructive to know the reasons which have prevented
it from succeeding. " Reports as noted above were obtained from the Sanitary
Department, but these not being conclusive, the Sanitary Commissioner was
directed (letter No. 516, dated 14th April 1899) to supply information in
his Report on Vaccination for the year 1898-99 showing how the system of
working in bodies is pursued, and he was to give the Civil Surgeons' account
of the actual method of working the system in each district, and consider
what further instructions, if any, were required to put it on a proper footing.
The information which the Sanitary Commissioner has collected is given in para-
graph 2 of the Report. In paragraph 22 he observes that 22 Civil Surgeons are
in favour of the vaccinators working together in bodies ; 5 are against it ; and 2
have not yet tried it. The Lieutenant-Governor, however, observes that a careful
scrutiny gives the following results : —15 for ;6 against ; 2 no opinion ; 4 never
tried it; but many of the remarks which have been recorded, and among them those
of the Deputy Sanitary Commissioner himself, appear to show that there is very
general misunderstanding as to the meaning of the orders. The Officiating
Sanitary Commissioner has made no attempt to define clearly the new system
introduced by Brigade-Surgeon-Lieutenant-Colonel Roe, but His Honor gathers
that the idea is to concentrate vaccination work in particular neighbourhoods,
though net necessarily in particular villages, with the object of facilitating
supervision. It rarely happens that more than two vaccinators are actually
engaged in vaccinating at one and the same time in the same village If this
understanding is correct, there is something misleading about the description
of the system as one by which the vaccinators work together in bodies. The
Lieutenant-Governor will raise no objection to a further trial of the scheme as
proposed in paragraph II of the Report but in view of the very clear fact,
admitted by Lieutenant-Colonel Bamber himself, that it has not been understood
by all the Civil Surgeons, he thinks that a circular should be issued from
the Sanitary Commissioner stating preoisely what the system is, and how it is
to be worked, so that all concerned may know clearly what is expected of
them. The Lieutenant-Governer will be obliged if Lieutenant-Colonel Bamber
will draw up a circular of the kind and submit it to him for approval before issue.
Paragraphs II(I) and 16 to 18
4. With regard to the second cause more especially alleged for the falling.
off in primary vaccinations in 1897-98, viz, the
failure of the animal lymph preserved in vaseline,
it is reported that the Amritsar Depôt failed as a source of supply because of
the difficulty experienced in obtaining buffalo calves and owing to hostility by
the vaccinators ; and that the lymph failed in operation in consequence of care-
lessness in its preparation. In view to securing better supervision over the
manufacture of the lymph, it has been suggested that the Amritsar Depôt should
be moved to Lahore, where it will be under the immediate eye of the Sanitary
Commissioner or Deputy Sanitary Commissioner, and to establish it on such a
basis as will make it a source of supply to the whole Province, the districts being
asked to contribute to its upkeep in lieu of expenditure already incurred by them
in procuring buffalo calves. The vaseline lymph paste is, however, still on its
trial and separate proposals on this subject will be awaited. Meanwhile His
Honor is glad to observe that the matter is engaging the attention of Captain
Wilkinson, Deputy Sanitary Commissioner, paragraph 16 of whose report
(Appendix E) shows that the preserved lymph is running the buffalo lymph very
close in respect to results, the percentage of success in all operations (primary and
re-vaccinations) being 93.99 with the fresh lymph and 92.92 with the paste. The
Lieutenant-Governor will, however, await the result of the further experiments
to be made by Captain Wilkinson with the Sanitary Commissioner's comments
on his report.