4
TRIENNIAL REPORT ON VACCINATION IN BURMA FOR THE YEARS 1914-15 TO 1916-17.
In the Tharrawaddy District a fairly high level of work has been maintained
during the last triennium, under the direction of Dr. Leonard, the Civil Surgeon
an increase of 3,560 primary operations over the total of the preceding triennial
period being attained. The maximum figure for primary vaccination was,
however, recorded in 1911-12 a year of widespread epidemic small-pox in the
district.
Irrawaddy Division.—Mau-bin District. Progress in vaccination in this
district has been continuous though at a less rate than during the preceding
triennium, an excess of 4,868 primary operations and 4,348 revaccinations being
recorded over the work of the earlier period, the maximum being reached in 1916-17
with 15,307 primary and 3,214 revaccinations. There has been no serious
outbreak of small-pox since 1912. The great improvement in vaccination in this
district dates from the commencement of the previous triennium, and was depen-
dent upon vigorous action taken by the Deputy Commissioner, Captain Roberts,
I.A., under whose direction an advance was made from 2,878 primary operations
in 1908-09 to 14,375 in 1913-14. The excellent traditions then established
have been maintained up to date.
Pyapôn District.—A highly gratifying advance in vaccination has been
effected during the last triennium in this district. The returns of primary operations
show an increase of 11,741 cases, or 112.57 per cent. on the work of the previous
triennium. Progress during the last three years has been rapid, from 4,791
operations in 1914-15 to 9,400 in 1916-17. The totals for primary operations
during the last three successive triennia have been 6,196, 10,430 and 22,171. We
owe this improvement to the energetic efforts of two recent Civil Surgeons—Civil
Assistant Surgeon Maung Shwe Ge, and Dr. Aung Tun, assisted by the active
support of the Deputy Commissioner and his subordinate officers. It can no
longer be held as it was a few years ago that the population of this district is
actively antagonistic to vaccination, and such opposition as was met with in earlier
years, which was the result of neglect and indifference on the part of the admini-
strative staff with regard to vaccination, has yielded to the tact and industry of the
medical officers which has received more generous support by the lay authorities.
Bassein District.—An increase of only 973 primary operations accompanied
by a falling off of 280 revaccination marks the work in this district during the
last triennium. A level outturn of work has been maintained.
Henzada District alone in the Division shows a decrease in vaccination work
amounting to 1,804 primary operations and 6,117 revaccinations during the
triennium under report. The last serious epidemic of small-pox in this district was
in 1912 and the highest outturn of primary operations in 1911-12, also a small-
pox year. The average level of work has been fairly well maintained during the
past two years.
Myaungmya District.—An increase of 885 primary and 1,033 revaccinations
on the work of the previous triennium is reported—vaccination work had fallen off
considerably in the previous period, but has shown a satisfactory recovery since
1913-14, rising from 5,636 primary operations in that year to 10,352 1916-17.
The more energetic work of successive Civil Surgeons aided by the active support
of the Deputy Commissioner is responsible for this improvement. Vaccination
work in this and other districts of the Delta is seriously hampered by difficulties
of transport and communication, and in Myaungmya District the Civil Surgeon is
tied to Headquarters by his duties and responsibilities as Superintendent of the
Central Jail, which reduce opportunities for district touring to a minimum. The
provision of a motor launch for the use of the Civil Surgeon of each of the
districts of this Division would greatly facilitate his district work, and lead to the
more rapid extension of vaccination in rural areas.
Tenasserim Division.—Amherst District returns a decrease of 14,928 primary
operations (23.26 per cent.) and 2,615 revaccinations (15.43 per cent.), on the work
of the previous triennium. Small-pox was absent from the district throughout the
triennium and the average output of work in the two years of severe epidemic
small-pox 1911 and 1912 had been abnormally high, nearly 25,000 ; the sudden fall
in 1913-14 to 14,485,has only gradually been retrieved—the returns for 1916-17
standing at 17,799 primary operations. It is impracticable for the hard-worked
Civil Surgeon, Moulmein, to exercise much supervision in the district, and improve-
ment in vaccination will depend mainly upon the attention devoted to the work
by the Deputy Commissioner and his lay assistants. The work and conduct of
the vaccination establishment has however been unsatisfactory, and reorganiza-
tion is called for.
Tavoy District returns an increase of 2,698 primary operations, while
Mergui shows a falling off of 472. Both districts have been remarkably free of
small-pox for many years, Mergui wholly escaping the severe and widespread
outbreak of 1911-12, and Tavoy returning only a small mortality in the former
year. Mergui Town has however been visited by small-pox in the current year,