6
TRIENNIAL REPORT ON VACCINATION IN BURMA FOR THE YEARS 1911-12 TO 1913-14
Accepting 200 operations per vaccinator per month as a fair average outturn
of work in districts where communications are difficult and supervision generally
very perfunctory, the following districts show good or fairly satisfactory work :—
Kyaukpyu 3,498, Akyab 2,764, Pegu 2,776, Tharrawaddy 2,389, Katha
2,352, Sagaing 4,113, Magwe 2,152, Pakôkku 2,245, Meiktila 2,183, Insein 2,102,
Lower Chindwin 2,066, Myingyan 2,087, Kyauksè 2,011. The real value of these
figures is to a great extent an unknown quantily since dependence has to be placed
upon the returns of the vaccinators checked to a varying extent by the native
Superintendents. Neither class can be wholly relied upon, though some indivi-
duals are honest and capable workers.
A low outturn of work is shown by the following districts :—Ruby Mines
684, Northern Shan States 727, Pyapôn 727, Myaungmya 731, Bhamo 833,
Prome 1,018, Toungoo 1,145, Thayetmyo 1,205, Thatôn 1,354, Henzada
1,430, Minbu 1,512, Sandoway 1,578, Hanthawaddy 1,664, Shwebo 1,667,
Yamèthin 1,775.
Statement
No. I.
12. Re-vaccination.—The total operations performed during the triennium
amounted to 298,463, against 141,594 in the preceding triennium. The annual
totals were for 1911-12, 90,740, for 1912-13, 117,526 and for 1913-14,90,197.
The highest annual total in the previous triennium was that of 1910-11,47,380.
There has thus been a marked advance in re-vaccination during the last. three
years. The excess in operations performed in 1912-13 was due to the prevalence
of small-pox.
Statement
No. I,
Summary.
13. Vaccination of infants and children.—During the triennial period 1911-12
to 1913-14 the number of infants under twelve months successfully vaccinated
was 291,853, against 258,579 in the previous triennium. Of the former number
102,311 were vaccinated in 1913-14, the figures for 1911-12 being 92,154,
the steady progress being shewn throughout the period.
The percentage of available infants vaccinated was in 1913-14, 38.65 against
32.65 in 1910-11 the last year of the previous triennial period.
The number of children between the ages of twelve months and six years
successfully vaccinated in the last triennium was 601,034 against 493,916 in the
previous period. The total of successful vaccinations within this age period reached
the maximum in 1911-12, viz., 205,637, and fell to 197,994 in 1913-14, which was
however 591 more than in the previous year, and 27,014 more than in 1910-11,
the highest total in the previous triennium. There has thus been a distinct
improvement in the vaccination of infants and children during the last triennium.
Statement
No. V.
14. Verification of results.—Civil Surgeons inspected and verified in 1911-12
14.45 per cent. of primary operations, and 8.91 re-vaccinations. In 1912-13 they
verified 16.45 per cent. primary, and 7.31 per cent. re-vaccinations. In 1913-14
the percentages were respectively 14.61 and 5.66. Thus the improvement in
verification of primary cases observed in the middle year of the period has riot
been maintained, and the verification of re-vaccinations has steadily declined from
year to year. The figures for verification of primary cases are on the whole
better than in any year of the previous triennial period, the totals for the three
years from 1908-09 to 1910-11 having been 9.79, 10.42, and 10.69 per cent.
The disabilities under which most Civil Surgeons suffer in prosecuting the
duty of verifying the work of their rural vaccination staffs have been dwelt on at
length by Major Harriss when officiating for me in his Triennial Report on Vacci-
nation in Burma for the years 1908-09 to 1910-11. One cannot expect Civil
Surgeons with heavy medical and jail duties at headquarters to be able to do
much verification in rural areas, and no surprise will be felt at the low returns of
verification recorded for the Civil Surgeon, Bassein, (175 primary cases with a
percentage of 1.07), and Amherst (588 and 3.99). On the other hand, in districts
where the work at headquarters is less exacting though still important, more
interest should be shown by the Local Superintendent of Vaccination. The
outturn of verification work by the Civil Surgeons, Myingyan, (235 primary
cases and 1.64), Shwebo (605 and 5.22), Prome (859 and 8.87—these figures
compare favourably with those for the previous year, 47 and 0.48), Tharrawaddy
(537 and 2.90), Pyapôn (526 and 13.30) was low. The above instance's are
quoted as instances when opportunities for the improvement of district vaccination
have been neglected to a greater or less extent and my remarks will apply to
other localities than those specifically mentioned. It is an axiom of universal
application in sanitary as well as medical and other branches of administrative
district work that the results vary closely with the amount of personal interest