2
NOTES AND STATISTICS ON VACCINATION IN BURMA FOR THE YEAR 1914-15.
In all 13 districts out of 21 in Lower Burma, and 6 out of 20 in Upper Burma
including the Shan States and Chin Hills, return an increase in the number of
primary successes.
Statement I.
5. Comparison of the amount of work performed in different
districts.—A
useful estimate of the comparative efficiency of the staffs in the various districts
is afforded by an examination of the average number of successful operations
performed by each vaccinator.
The largest average outturn of successful operations per head of vaccinator
establishment was performed by the Sagaing District staff, 2,557, or over
200 successful operations per month. This is closely approached by the
Tharrawaddy staff with 2,382, and the Katha staff with 2,359 ; other district
staffs returning an average of over 1,500 successful operations in the year
*per vaccinator are Amherst 1,874, Myingyan 1,868, Lower Chindwin 1,807,
Bassein 1,703, Magwe 1,695, Southern Shan States 1,678, Akyab 1,639, Hantha-
waddy 1,604, Kyaukse 1,596, Pegu 1,593, Pakôkku 1,5,79, Yamèthin 1,522,
Ma-ubin 1,507. The Upper Chindwin staff did creditably with an average of 1,427,
in view of the somewhat difficult conditions of communications and scattered
population in that district.
District staffs returning a low average number of successful operations for
the year are Northern Shan States with 487, Sandoway 633, Iviyaungmya 713,
Ruby Mines 768, Pyapôn 806, Prome 868. In the case of the Northern
Shan States the organization of the work has been put upon an entirely new
footing with the commencement of the current year, and a much larger outturn of
work accompanied by a reduction in expenditure is confidently expected to
result.
The backward state of vaccination in Sandoway District is said to be due to
a general disinclination of the people to accept the operation for their children,
and in the year under review a falling off in the work of the vaccinators was
partly a result of the illness of the Native Superintendent. A reorganization of
the staff and a greater show of interest in the work by the District Officials of every
grade is obviously required in this district. Including the town of Sandoway the
total successful primary operations recorded amount to only 2,425, against 5,135
in the previous year, a decrease of 2,710.
The work done in Pyapôn District shows an improvement of 786 primary
operations on the preceding year and of 1,556 on the work of 1912-1913. The
work in this district still remains in a very backward condition, the reason being
as explained in last year's report, the lack of efforts by the district lay authorities
and the Civil Surgeon in past years to popularize the operation. It is hoped that
the present Civil Surgeon, who is a native of the country, will put new life into
this department of his work. The people everywhere are timid but willing to
accept the operation if interest is shown in the practice by the powers that be
The work in Myaungmya District is better by 268 successful primary opera-
tions than that of the previous year, but 1,699 behind that of 1912-13. Difficulties
of communication and supervision obstruct progress in this district, but the
Deputy Commissioner and the Civil Surgeon have taken the matter in hand and
they hope by better organization to obtain improved results.
6. Vaccination in towns.—Out of 57 towns in which the Vaccination Act is
in force 21 show an increase in total successful primary operations and 31 a
decrease.
The total number of successful operations performed in towns during 1914-15
was 44,241 against 49,436 in the previous year, a decrease of 5,195. This
total decrease was wholly in revaccinations, primary operations showing a slight
increase of 274.
In Pyinmana the total rose from 357 to 689, in Syriam from 65 to 333, in
Thôngwa from 76 to 469. There was a substantial increase of 1,090 in
Mandalay town. Toungoo returns an increase of 229, Magwe of 79, Yenan-
gyaung of 89, Insein of 86, Myingyan of 60, Ngathainggyaung of 88. On the other
hand a serious falling off is noticeable in the case of many towns. In Myaungmya
the decrease was from 146 to 41, in Wakèma from 304 to 170, in Nyaunglebin
from 410 to 209. In the case of a few of these towns the falling off may
reasonably be explained by the absence of small-pox, which in the previous year
had given an unprecedented stimulus to vaccination, or to the presence of plague
which always acts as a deterrent. The decrease in the three towns of Ma-ubin
District, Ma-ubin, Yandoon, and Danubyu, which amounts to 173, 107, and 99
respectively, is the more remarkable since a special additional vaccinator had been
appointed for these towns. An investigation into the condition of vaccination in
Yandoon town carried out recently by my Deputy, Major Lalor, I.M S. revealed
the fact that the organization of vaccination work in that Municipality is in a very
unsatisfactory position. Nearly 40% out of 176 children under two years of age
inspected proved to be unvaccinated, and this in a town where the Vaccination