2
Percentage of Successful
Vaccinations.
5. The percentage of success in 1904-05 for primary vaccination was
98.96 and for re-vaccination 75.39 among cases the results
of which were known (those untraceable being omitted).
This as far as primary cases are concerned is slightly better than the two preced-
ing years, but as regards re-vaccination is considerably lower, being 81.68 in
1902-03 and 87.02 in 1903-04. I can adduce no reason for the difference.
Strength of the Vaccina-
tion Establishment.
6. The average number of Vaccinators during the year was 28 with
6 Native Supervisors and 2 Divisional Inspectors. In
1903-04 ten temporary extra hands were entertained for
the Chitral Agency while in 1902-03 the average was the same as in the year
under report.
Increase and decrease in
primary Vaccinations.
Statement No. I.
7. There has been an increase in the number of primary vaccinations
during the year under report as compared with last year
in the Hazara, Mardan and Dera Ismail Khan Districts,
but there has been a decrease of 2,404 in Peshawar, 295 in
Kohat, and 1,298 in Bannu districts. The decrease in Peshawar is partly ex-
plained by the prolonged cold weather and the small amount of small-pox
causing people not to bring their children to be vaccinated.
As regards Peshawar city, its population appears to be increasing very
rapidly and it is in very close proximity to a large Cantonment of British and
Native troops. As soon therefore as it can be arranged, the advisability of
bringing the Vaccination Act into force within its limits should be practically
considered. A severe outbreak of small-pox in the city would be a source of
danger to the troops and the public, in its present condition of only partial
protection by vaccination.
The decrease in the Kohat District is small and was probably the result
of a transfer of an experienced vaccinator and his being replaced by a new man
unacquainted with the country.
In Bannu again the decrease is attributed to the extreme cold and heavy
rains and to the fact that few transfrontier Wazirs came in. Seven hundred
vaccinations were done the previous year among these, but this year there was
not sufficient small-pox to act as an incentive and none came in for vaccination.
Vaccinations in Political
Agencies.
8. In Political Agencies 2,612 vaccinations were performed as com-
pared with 30,723 in 1903-04 and 2,907 in 1902-03. As
noted before the increase in 1903-04 was due to the
Chitral small-pox epidemic and the temporary entertainment of ten extra
vaccinators.
I hope to see gradually more work done in these agencies, the trans-
frontier tribesmen are at present chary of trying new methods. Most of them
have their own inoculators, but this passive, and in the latter case probably
active, opposition will in time be overcome.
An attempt is being made to teach the inoculators proper vaccination
methods and it has in some districts met with a measure of success. Vaccina-
tion in the Swat Valley is at present at a stand-still, but I am of opinion if
epidemic small-pox broke out there they would be induced to try vaccination.
In the Kurram a fair number bring their children in for vaccination, 1,209
vaccinations were done during the year while in the Tochi there were 1,403
operations.
Vaccinations performed
by Cantonment Staff.
9, In Cantoments 1,833 vaccinations were performed against 2,043 in
1903-04 and 3,240 in 1902-03. Energetic vaccinations in
previous years when small-pox was prevalent especially in
1902-03 have practically protected most persons except the floating population
and children under one year.
Work done by the Dis-
pensary Staff.
Statement No. III.
10.—The number of vaccination operations performed at Dispensaries
was exceedingly small only 104, as compared with 1,166
in 1903-04 while in 1902-03 only 20 persons were vaccina-
ted in them.