12
NOTES ON THE STATISTICS OF VACCINATION IN BURMA FOR THE YEAR 1899-1900.
Of the total cost a percentage of 51.65 was borne by Local funds, 25.51 by
Municpal funds, 22.31 by Government, and .53 by Native States. The average
cost of each successful vaccination was the same as in 1898-99—Rs. 0-2-7.
Statement No. III.
7. During the year under report 6,033 primary operations and 6,594 re-
vaccinations were performed at dispensaries, of which
5,421 and 4,024 respectively were returned as suc-
cessful, giving percentages of 89.86 and 61.03. The rate of success is too low in
primary and too high in re-vaccination. A little more than one-fourth of the numb-
er of primary successful vaccinations was secured among children under one year
of age.
Compared with the figures for the year 1898-99, the number of re-vaccina-
tions performed during 1899-1900 has increased, but there is a regrettable decline in
the number of primary vaccinations, especially in the Sagaing and Irrawaddy divi-
sions.
Statement No. IV.
8. The number of primary vaccinations and the number returned as success-
ful by all departments for a series of years are compared,
and the total amount of work done shows a steady pro-
gressive increase both in quantity and quality.
Statements Nos. V and VI.
9. Particulars of verification done in each district and by individual officers
show that out of a total of 503,514 vaccinated during
the year, 115,365 were inspected by Civil Surgeons,
and 71,156 by Native Superintendents of vaccination against 104,151 and 87,185
respectively in the previous year. The falling off in the inspection work of Native
Superintendents is unsatisfactory.
The ratio of inspections to total operations was 22.91 per cent. for Civil Sur-
geons and 14.13 for Native Superintendents. This is most inadequate supervi-
sion, and if a proper check is to be exercised over the work of the vaccinators, the
number of Native Superintendents will have to be increased. There are only 14
Native Superintendents in 11 out of 38 districts. The average amount of work
done by each of these 14 men in their respective charges was 3,896 out of a total
of 182,106 or 36.17 per cent. of the whole. To be at all effective at least 50 per
cent. of the work should be verified.
The percentage of operations found to be successful by Civil Surgeons was
87.49 against 89.35 in the previous year ; the Native Supervising officers report
a percentage of 89.88 against 89.07 in the year 1898-99, while vaccinators them-
selves have claimed 92.21 of their operations to have been successful, a percentage
slightly below that for the year 1898-99.
The largest number of operations inspected by District Medical officers was
Assistant Surgeon W. H. Cooper (7,979), Mr. R. A. Hollingsworth (6,769), Major
K. Prasad, I.M.S. (6,561), Lieutenant-Colonel E. P. Frenchman, I.M.S. (5,507),
Assistant Surgeon A. H. Nolan (5,055), and Assistant Surgeon F. W. A. L'Estrange
(4,182).
Frauds detected at inspec-
tions.
10. It is very evident from district reports that there is a considerable amount
of false work returned by vaccinators, and District Medi-
cal officers' inspections show that there is an appreci-
able amount of utterly incompetent vaccination as well
as a large proportion of second rate work. This is clearly due to defective su-
pervision and inspection, owing to the difficulty experienced by District Medical
officers in leaving headquarters, and to the majority of the districts being without
Native Superintendents.
At Akyab the town vaccinator falsified his registers. Fraud was detected in
the statistics returned by two vaccinators in the Sandoway district. The Native
Superintendent of vaccination for the Hanthawaddy district was found to have
grossly neglected his work. A vaccinator in the Tharrawaddy district returned
as successful cases which on inspection proved to be otherwise. A vaccinator
in the Bassein district falsified his returns and exaggerated the number of cases
vaccinated. In the Henzada district three vaccinators were detected in making
up false returns, three vaccinators in the Myaungmya district were found to be
returning unsuccessful operations as successful, and in showing cases of re-
vaccination as primary operations in their registers. One of these vaccinators
had also exaggerated his returns by claiming work he had not done. A vaccinator