NOTES AND STATISTICS
ON
VACCINATION IN BURMA
FOR THE YEAR 1918-19.
Statement
II.
The vaccination establishment employed in the Province during 1918-19
was the following :—
District Superin-
tendents of
Vaccination.
42
Inspecting Officers.
Sub-Assistant
Surgeons.
28
Supervisors
of
Vaccination.
39
Head Vaccinators.
3
Vaccinators,
321
The staff was increased during the year under review by (a) one Assistant
Surgeon at Yenangyaung and one Sub-Assistant Surgeon at Mawlamyainggyun,
respectively who received an allowance from the Town Funds for supervising
vaccination. (b) One additional Supervisor of Vaccination and. six additional
vaccinators in Myaungmya District to meet the requirements of the district in view
of the proposed extension thereto of the Act for the prohibition of inoculation
(1908). One permanent Vaccinator each was appointed for Mawlamyainggyun
and Pyu towns, two for Bassein Municipality, and three for the Northern Shan
States at the cost of State Funds. Two female Registrar-vaccinators in
Rangoon Municipality who were not shown in the previous years' returns have
been for the first time included in the returns for the year under report. There
was a decrease of seven temporary vaccinators in Mergui Municipality (2), and
District (5), following the cessation of the small-pox epidemic.
[NOTE.—There is an apparent decrease of one Vaccinator in the establishment of Akyab Municipality
which employs two vaccinators, whereas through an error it was stated as three vaccinators in the report for
1917-18]
2. Punishments.—Eight permanent vaccinators were dismissed, seven of
them for neglect of duty or falsification of returns and travelling allowance bills,
and one for collusion in the inoculation of small-pox. One temporary and six
permanent vaccinators were removed from service for gross neglect, absence
without leave, or other serious misconduct.
3. Loss by Death or Resignation.—The services of four Supervisors of
Vaccination were lost to the department during the year, two by death, and two
by resignation.
Statement I.
4. Vaccination work performed in 1918-19.—The total number of operations
recorded in the year under review was 563,020 against 492,008 in 1917-18.
Primary operations totalled 423,552, a decrease on the previous year's total of
5,865, and revaccinations 139,468 an increase of 76,877. A substantial increase
in primary operations exceeding 1,000 cases was recorded in Rangoon City
(1,571), and Insein (1,305), Hanthawaddy (1,280), Henzada (1,337), Amherst
(1,364), Toungoo (1,811), Thatôn (1,528), Mandalay (1,135), Pakôkku (1,523)
districts. A large decrease is observed in the return of primary operations for
the Northern Shan States (5,293), Southern Shan States (3,569), Chin Hills
(1,165), Thayetmyo (1,199), Shwebo (1,158), Upper Chindwin (1,085),Mergui
(1,792), Akyab (1,492), Sandoway (1,059). Thirty districts showed an increase
in revaccinations conspicuous among which are Rangoon Town District (27,777),
Mandalay (16,601), Yamèthin (23,868), Sagaing (3,214), Magwe (2,606), Myin-
gyan (1,996), Ma-ubin (1,583), Myitkyina (1,269), Upper Chindwin (1,014).
The falling-off in primary vaccination is largely to be explained by the
prevalence of influenza throughout several months of 1918, and the dislocation of
routine district work which it involved. In Mergui it was due to the cessation of
the small-pox epidemic of 1917-18, and of the special efforts made to cope
therewith. Both primary cases and revaccinations show a decrease in this
district. The increased activity shown in many districts in performing both
primary and revaccination is correlated with the presence or threat of small-pox,
particularly in the early months of 1919. In the case of Yamèthin the
substantial increase in revaccinations, of which 23,992 were performed against
124 in 1917-18, was the issue of a very vigorous campaign, throughout the towns
and villages most exposed to infection, which existed near Pyinmana and in