9
Vizianagram (—686), Tellicherry (—577), Palghat ( —554), Vizagapatam (-537),
Vāniyambādi (—499) and Māyavaram (—425).
The decrease in almost all the towns referred to above is attributed to the
diminished prevalence of smallpox and the consequent reduction in the number
of re-vaccinations done during the year.
The municipalities which showed appreciable increases were Cannanore
(+4,371), Mangalore (+3,213) and Bellary ( + 2,133).
Although vaccination is compulsory in all municipalities, marked decreases
of over 20 per cent occurred in Tiruppūr (—48.2), Vāniyambādi ( — 47.2), Bodi-
nāyakkanūr ( — 25.6), Chidambaram (-24.4), Parlākimedi (—22.8) Proddatūr
(—22.2), and Cannanore (—21.4).
Much has been said already regarding the unsatisfactory state of vaccination
in municipalities in the vaccination reports of previous years, and the several
defects existing in them were pointed out to the municipal councils, in special
reports. Unless the councils evince greater interest in this matter and do away
with the services of the unqualified vaccinators existing in most of them and
appoint qualified vaccinators in their places, progress will be difficult. No
proper supervision of any kind over the vaccinators exists at present in almost all
the municipalities. Government have already taken up this subject and have
in their order No. 516, P.H., dated 1st April 1924, provincialized the posts of
health officers in municipalities. Government were further pleased to bear
75 per cent of the cost on account of these health officers and to address all
municipal councils to ascertain their willingness for employing trained health
officers. It is hoped that every municipal council will, take advantage of this
opportunity and resolve in favour of the entertainment of a health officer and thus
place the health administration of the municipality on a more satisfactory basis.
29. With reference to paragraph 4 of G.O. No. 152-P.H., dated 31st January
1924, regarding fixing of the minimum outturn for the vaccinators in municipalities,
I have to report as follows:—
Only 7 municipalities have fixed a minimum of 200 cases per month for the
vaccinators, 7 at 150, 4 at 125,13 at 100 and the rest below 100. This is not
satisfactory.
The suggestion of Government in the administration report of several munici
palities for 1922-23 regarding prescribing a minimum of 200 cases per month, was
presumably based upon the fact that routine vaccination work was conducted only
during 8 months in each year as well as upon the available accumulated unpro
tected children. The universal application of this minimum has been found
impossible in many cases on account of the smallness of population with the con
sequent small number of births available for vaccination in several municipalities.
There are several ways of arriving at a proper minimum for a municipality. The
formula below gives one method. A minimum thus arrived at may have to be modi
fied in the light of special local conditions.
Name of municipality.
(1)
Population as per last
census.
(2)
Population living under
one year of age, as per
last census.
(3)
Population living between
1 and 5 years of age,
as per last census.
(4)
Population living between
10 and 15 years of age,
as per last census.
(5)
Population living between
20 and 25 years of age,
as per last census.
(6)
Total number of primary
cases calculated at 80
per cent of col. 3 and
20 per cent of col. 4.
(7)
Total number of re-vacci
nations calculated at 2
per cent of cols. 5 and 4
per mille of col. 6.
(8)
Total number of primary
and re-vaccination cases.
(9)
Remarks.
(10)
A second method is to calculate on the basis of presidency average birth-rate
the probable number of births available in a year and determine from it the number
of cases likely to be available for vaccination, after making due allowances for
3