8
TRIENNIAL REPORT ON VACCINATION IN BURMA FOR THE YEARS 1890-91 TO 1892-93.
The number of operations performed in 1892-93 exceeded the numbers for
the two previous years by 40,035 and 20,006 respectively. All districts con-
tribute to the increase except Katha, Ruby Mines, Ye-u and the Gangaw sub¬
division of the Pakôkku district. At Katha and Gangaw the number of operations
has steadily declined for the past two years. In the former district vaccination
is very unpopular, and other causes have conduced to lower the number, namely,
the illness of the vaccinator for three months of the year, when work was almost
at a standstill, and the refusal of the people to undergo the operation. In the
Gangaw subdivision those in and about the town itself are induced to submit to
the operation, but in the interior the inhabitants are opposed to it. The Medical
Officer reports, however, that the prejudice of the people is gradually being
overcome.
The average number of operations performed by each vaccinator was 2,363
as compared with 2,402 in Lower Burma.
In the Ruby Mines no Burman could be got to take up the appointment of
vaccinator. A native of India was appointed, but he was eventually removed
from the service as his work was unsatisfactory. For two months of the year
there was no vaccinator in the district. To these causes and the opposition
of the people was the falling off in operations due. The Civil Surgeon reports
that the people are beginning to see that vaccination is not compulsory and they
refuse to submit to it.
The larger number vaccinated in Ye-u in 1891-92 as compared with the
previous and succeeding years was due to operations performed on people congre-
gated at the famine relief works in that year, but who have since dispersed.
Year.
1890-91
1891-92
1892-93
Pay.
Rs.
6,496
6,942
8,394
Travelling
allowance.
Rs.
997
1,829
2,598
Contin-
gencies.
Rs.
665
941
979
Total.
Rs.
8,158
9,712
11,971
Statement No. II.—The total expenditure for the three years is noted in
the margin. Expenditure
under all three heads has
increased owing to the
employment of a larger
vaccination staff in each
succeeding year, but the
average cost of each suc-
cessful case has been
reduced steadily, the figures for each of the three years being Re. 0-4-2, 0-3-2,
and 0-2-10 respectively.
Year.
1890-91... ...
1891-92... ...
1892-93... ...
Number.
4,956
5,552
2,164
Statement No. III.—The number of dispensary vaccinations for the three
years is given in the margin. The smaller number
for the year of report is explained by the fact that no
operations by Medical Officers were performed at the
dispensaries in the Mandalay, Myingyan, Pakôkku,
Yamèthin, and Pyinmana districts, against 240, 2,643,
174, 344, and 55 operations respectively during the
previous year. Since the extension of the Vaccina-
tion Act to these towns and to Pagan the work at
the hospitals is done by the town vaccinators. The Act is now in force in the
marginally noted towns in Upper Burma.
Mandalay.
Myingyan.
Pagan.
Salin.
Pyinmama.
Yamethin.
Greater success has attended primary operations
during the last year than in the two preceding years,
the percentage for each of the three years being
77.74, 81.73, and 84.81. Secondary operations, on the other hand, were in the
year just closed not as high as for 1891-92, being 54.70 and 88.11 respectively,
but the term re-vaccination was not generally understood till attention was
drawn to it in a recent circular, and no doubt the high percentage returned in
1891-92 was due to incorrect classification.
GENERAL REMARKS.
Efforts to extend vaccination.—During the last year no effort was spared to
push the work of vaccination in the province, and aid was invoked from every
quarter. District Medical Officers were required to note in their monthly returns
of vaccination the number of operations for the same period of the previous year,