4
NOTES AND STATISTICS ON VACCINATION IN BURMA FOR THE YEAR 1912-13.
vaccinated children had more than one good vaccination scar and that they were
thus only partially protected. In the case of adults the vaccination scars are
often described by the reporter as " invisible ", which clearly indicates that he
relied on the patient's or his friends' statement and was unable to verify it.
Efforts will be made to obtain more exact and detailed returns on this important
point in future epidemics.
Appendix B.
12. Vaccination in Towns.— The number of survivors of births registered in
1912-13 was 17,189, and the number of infants under twelve months of age
reported as having been successfully vaccinated was 19,161 or 1,972 in excess
of the infants available. This is a constantly recurring phenomenon and was
discussed sufficiently in last year's Note. The point to which attention has to
be devoted here is the failure on the part of the responsible authorities of several
important towns to afford protection by vaccination to a large proportion of the
infants available. Chief among the towns concerned stands Prome, which, with
624 surviving infants available, vaccinated successfully only 240, or under two¬
fifths. An equally bad outturn of work was recorded in the previous year, and
adverted to in my Note. It is observed that the returns for Paungdè Town
in the same district are little better, only 169 out of 246 available infants being
successfully vaccinated. I have already, earlier in this Note drawn attention
to the very indifferent outturn of vaccination work in this district, and to the
absence of personal attention displayed by the Civil Surgeon. Paungdè together
with Prome suffered severely from Small-pox in 1912.
13. The work of the Vaccine Depôt, Meiktila.—The amount paid for hire
and purchase of calves was Rs. 3,153-15-6, against Rs. 2,001-6-0, in the previous
twelve months. The rise in cost was due to the greater number of calves used
(477 against 390), and the increased rate of hire. The cost of feeding the calves
amounted to Rs. 738-13-2, against Rs. 492 in 1911-12 owing to the increased
number of calves.
Out of 477 calves inoculated with vaccine 414 yielded lymph fit for issue.
The potency of the strain was maintained by vaccine lymph taking from inoculated
rabbits, and on three occasions by the use of human lymph for inoculating
calves. The local strain of lymph was found to be more potent for the vaccina-
tion of calves than lymph obtained from Bombay and the United Provinces. The
issue of vaccine lymph was 757,518 doses as against 693,913 in 1911-12, and
613,444 in 1910-11. The average weight of vesicle pulp per calf was 287.4
grains, being rather more than a grain less than in the previous year. The total
weight of vesicle pulp obtained during the year was 271.9 ounces, and the total
amount of glycerinated vaccine prepared was 760,294 doses. The figures for
lymph prepared and issued constitute a record for the second year in succession.
The Director points out that the buildings provided for the preparation of lymph
are far too small for the greatly increased work of the Department, which has risen
from the preparation of 68.73 ounces of vesicle pulp in 1903-04 to 271.9 ounces in
the year under review, or nearly 300 per cent. The matter has had to be kept
in abeyance for want of funds, but recently a special grant of Rs. 50,000 for
the improvement of the Vaccine Depôt has been made by the Imperial Govern-
ment, and the preparation of revised plans will at once be proceeded with.
I have much pleasure in acknowledging the good work done by Major Dick,
Major Beit, and Captain Walker, all permanent incumbents of the appointment,
the last named of whom is now in charge, and in thanking the Medical Officers
who were in temporary charge, viz., Captains Churchill and Farebrother, R.A.
M.C., and Captain Munro, I.M.S., for their efficient discharge of their duties
at the Depôt.
The title of Rao Sahib was conferred on Sub-Assistant Surgeon Govinda
Pillay for his long and meritorious services at the Depôt. The head loader
Shambudayal and the other members of the Subordinate staff worked well
throughout the entire period.
C. E. WILLIAMS, M.D., D.P.H., D.T.M.,
LIEUT.- COLONEL, I.M.S.,
Superintendent-General of Vaccination, Burma.
RANGOON, 27th May
1913.