( 4 )
there has been a falling-off, especially in the Buldana District. On an
average each vaccinator performed 1,358 operations, against 1,396 last year.
The apparent falling-off in the numbers operated upon by each vaccinator is
due to the average having been worked on the total staff employed in each
district, apprentices included. In previous reports apprentices, who were
not appointed to circles, were not taken account of in working out these aver-
ages. If these men be excluded, the averages for the two years, 1880-81 and
1879-80, would be 1,484 and 1,396, respectively.
TABLE No. 2.—Average number of operations performed by each Vaccinator for
two years compared.
Districts.
Amraoti ... ...
Ellichpur ... ...
Wun ... ...
Basim ... ...
Akola ... ...
Buldana ... ...
Total ...
Number of operations
1880-81.
1,672 ...
1,079 ...
1,364 ...
1,169 ...
1,349 ...
1,336 ...
1,358 ...
per man.
1879-80.
1,234
1,648
1,084
1,190
1,512
1,813
1,396
The number of primary vaccinations performed aggregated 80,083, of
10,352 in excess of the previous year. The number recorded as successful
was 69,406, against 62,009, and the ratio of success 86.7 as compared with 94
in 1879-80.
In computing the ratio of success last year unknown cases were excluded,
but in this Report the percentage of successful cases has, according to the
directions of Government, been worked on the total numbers vaccinated. If
unknown cases were not excluded from last year's figures also, then the per-
centages of success for the two years, 1879-80 and 1880-81, would be 88.9 and
86.7, respectively.
The falling-off in the percentages of successful cases as compared with
last year I attribute in a great measure to the use of lymph preserved in
tubes, At the commencement of the season vaccinators were directed to
carry on vaccination exclusively by arm-to-arm operations; where this was not
practicable, by lymph stored in capillary tubes. Each vaccinator was furnish-
ed with a supply of tubes, and directed to always keep in reserve some tubes
of fresh lymph.
This method of storing lymph is the most preferable, if the tubes are
properly filled and hermetically sealed, in which case it may be successfully
preserved for a considerable period ; and, besides, as the vaccinator would
have to keep up a supply of freshly charged tubes, it acted as a check
against his idling.
The operation of filling the tubes, though a simple one, requires a certain
amount of expertness and care, of which the ordinary vaccinator appears
incapable, for amongst those operated upon by tube lymph a very large per-
centage was doubtful and unsuccessful. In the Amraoti District alone 42.3
per cent. of those vaccinated with tube lymph proved unsuccessful.
The use of crusts is, as a rule, interdicted ; for I have found that inflam-
mation and ulceration frequently ensue if the crusts are not very carefully
selected. The arm operated upon swells in some cases to twice its natural
size, and the spot where the lymph was inserted becomes the centre of a
slough, the size of a rupee or larger. Casualties such as this do occasionally
happen, and are very much to be regretted, as they are reported all over a
circle, and increase the unfavourable feeling of the people towards
vaccination.
In future, I purpose to substitute ivory points for tubes for the purpose
of conveying lymph from one village to another. These are very easily