4
TRIENNIAL REPORT ON VACCINATION IN BURMA FOR THE YEARS 1911-12 TO 1913-14:
Magwe District shows a decrease of nearly 4,000 primary operations on the
total of the previous year which was the highest on record. The gain in numbers
of primary operations in the last triennium was 16,345 which is largely owing to the
activity of the present Civil Surgeon, Mr. Isa Charan.
The decrease in Minbu District amounted to nearly 4,700 primary operations
less than the total of the previous year. The large child mortality from malarial
fever in the two previous years, and the outbreak in Minbu town at the end of
1913 probably affected the outturn of work.
Meiktila District shows an increase of 10,381 primary operations on the
returns of the previous triennium.
Myingyan District returned 7,351 more primary operations in the last triennium
than in the previous period. There was a decrease of some 4,000 operations in
the last year, attributed by the Civil Surgeon to the result of the special efforts of
the previous year, and to the prevalence of plague in the towns.
Yamèthin District.—The increase has been slow but steady since 1909-10.
There were 6,302 more primary operations than in the previous triennium.
Kyauksè District.—The increase is slow but continuous. The gain on the
previous triennium was 1,993 cases.
Northern Shan States.—The work of primary vaccination has shown a fairly
steady though slow improvement during the last six years. The last triennium
returns an increase of 4,414 on the previous period.
Southern Shan States.—The returns for the last year of the triennium show a
decline of about 3,700 primary operations on those of the two previous years, but
the gain on the previous triennium is over 12,000.
Primary vaccination in the Chin Hills makes no decided progress. The gain
in the last triennium is only 371 operations in excess of the total of the previous
three years. The average annual outturn of work from 1911-12 has been 2,918.
8. Vaccination in Towns.—Returns were received from 53 towns in 1913-14,
and from 6 of these, viz., Insein, Syriam, Thôngwa, Magwe, Yenangyaung, Pyaw-
bwè for the first time. In three of these towns the Vaccination Act came into
force for the first time at the end of 1912-13 and in Thôhgwa in 1914. Returns
from these places were in previous years included with those from rural (voluntary)
areas. Returns were received from Zalun town in the previous year, but were
discontinued last year.
The total operations performed in 53 towns in 1913-14 was 67,183, of which
32,774 were primary, and 34,409 re-vaccinations.
A comparative study of the work done in 43 towns during the last triennium
(excluding Rangoon) gives the following result:—
—
In 1911-12 (43 towns)... ...
In 1912-13 (43 towns)... ...
In 1913-14 (43 towns)... ...
Primary operations.
30,391
27,007
23,460
Re-vaccinations.
13,573
24,928
10,528
Total.
43,964
51,935
33,988
There is a decrease in primary operations in the last year of the triennium of
3,547 on the total of the previous year, and of 6,931 (or more than 20 per cent.)
on that of 1911-12.
In re-vaccinations there is a decrease on the previous year of 14,400 opera-
tions, and on 1911-12 of 3,045.
The decrease in total operations in 1913-14 from the totals of the previous
years was from 1912-13—17,947, and from 1911-12—9,976. The decrease in
1913-14 was shared in by 21 towns out of the 43 under comparison of which the
following are examples :—
Moulmein, decrease 2,961 or nearly 60 per cent., Allanmyo decrease 636 or
66 per cent., Henzada 485, about 18 per cent., Mandalay 303, Toungoo 212,
Shwegyin 144, Myingyan 150, Sandoway 125, Shwebo 84, Kyaukpyu 88, Kyauksè
64, Salin 57, Minbu 50, Akyab 42.
The very large decrease in Moulmein town is attributed by the Civil Surgeon
to the less number of coolies available for vaccination in 1914 owing to most of
this class being protected while in Rangoon. The proportionally still greater
decline in primary vaccination in Allanmyo town is attributed to the absence of
small-pox and the incapacity of the town vaccinator. No explanation is given of