3
NOTES AND STATISTICS ON VACCINATION IN BURMA FOR THE YEAR 1918-19.
neighbouring districts. It is disappointing to observe that in spite of these efforts
there was a deficiency of 884 operations on the primary vaccination work of the
previous year. A careful analysis of the previous ten years' returns indicates that,
allowing for a normal death-rate among vaccinated children, a very large propor-
tion of persons under ten years of age still remains unprotected by primary
operation in this district.
Statement I.
5. Successful Operations.—Successful primary operations show an increase
of 3,612 on 1917-18 and 7,103 on 1916-17. Successful revaccinations exceed
those of 1917-18 by 50,902 and of 1916-17 by 26,517. The total of successful
primary cases was 397,720 and of revaccinations 76,588. The percentages of
recorded primary operations and revaccinations returned as successful were
respectively 97.83 and 65.27, but the balance includes the unknown cases as well as
the failures.
District returns, which show badly as compared with the previous years' out-
put in the record of total primary or revaccinations performed, sometimes
reestablish their credit when the number of successful operations come to be
compared. Thus, the Northern Shan States, with a declared deficit on 1917-18
of 5,293 primary operations is able to show an increase of 1,703 successful
operations as the result of improved inspection subsequent to operation. Other
districts share in this satisfactory improvement, which in the aggregate raises the
total of successful primary operations performed in the province to 3,612 over the
return of 1917-18 and nearly double this figure above that of 1916-17 which fact
must be set against the deficit for the year under review of 5,865 primary
operations less than in the previous year. Certain districts which return an
increased output of work show a still larger increase in successful operations.
Thus Rangoon has 2,287, Hanthawaddy 1,335, Thatôn 1,836; Meiktila with
an increase of 816 in primary operations, has an increase of 1,108, in successful
cases. The deficiency shown by several districts in total primary operations
performed is however enhanced by a still greater deficiency in successful
primary operations. This is notably the case with Pyapôn District which
returned 926 less operations and 1,272 less successful operations, and Shwebo
with 1,158 fewer operations and 1,316 fewer successful. The position of the
Southern Shan States is not improved by the comparison of total and successful
primary operations. On the whole however and in view of the far-reaching
effects of the influenza epidemic, it may be said that a decided increase in activity
and improvement in inspection of operations has been shown in many districts,
Military operations in the Upper Chindwin District and Chin Hills were important
factors in reducing the vaccination output in the areas.
The reduction to the lowest possible limits of primary cases of which the
result remains unknown is a measure of the thoroughness with which vaccination
is organized and carried out in any district. The percentage of " unknown "
results in primary vaccination was highest in the Northern Shan States (19.15),
Chin Hills (14.81), Sandoway (13.42), Mergui (10.49). In the first two
districts the system adopted does not admit of the same vaccinator returning to
the villages where he operates, in Sandoway and Mergui the rural work is not yet
well organized. It is of good omen that the "unknown" ratio in the Southern
Shan States is as low as 4.58, for this explains to some extent the decrease in
total primary operations—numbers having been sacrificed in favour of thorough-
ness. Of the known results 97.83 per cent. were reported successful. The
unknown percentage in the provincial aggregate of primary cases was only 3.94.
It is claimed that it was as low as " nil " in Tharrawaddy and Lower Chindwin
Districts, 0.05 in Ruby Mines, 0.87 in Minbu, 0.90 in Magwe and 0.93 in Tavoy.
The primary successful ratio in known cases was 97.83 per cent. for the Province,
100.00 per cent. in Rangoon and 99 per cent. and over in Hanthawaddy, Pegu,
Pyapôn, Henzada, Tavoy, Ruby Mines, Myitkyina, Sagaing, Lower Chindwin,
Magwe, Meiktila, and Kyauksè Districts, and the Chin Hills.
The ratio of persons successfully vaccinated to total population was 39.05
to 34.56 in 1917-18, and 36.28 in 1916-17. Many of the cases were however
re-vaccinations.
6. Small-pox.—There was little small-pox in Burma during the first three
months of the year 1918-19 and almost none in the last six months of 1918.
Upper Burma was practically free throughout the year. From January to
March 1919 the following areas had become badly infected with a considerable
mortality, viz. Mandalay and Rangoon cities and Myingyan town and district.
In these areas vaccination was pushed with the results noted in paragraph 4
above while neighbouring districts adopted a vigorous campaign in sympathy