NOTES ON THE STATISTICS
OF
VACCINATION IN BURMA
FOR THE YEAR 1900-01.
THE report on vaccination consists of brief notes and the usual statements.
Statement I.
1. The average number of vaccinators employed during the year was 190,
whilst the sanctioned staff is 192. Henzada employed 14 vaccinators for six
months and 15 for the remainder of the year, and the Southern Shan States
four vaccinators for one month and three for the remaining eleven months.
2. Statement No. I.—The total number vaccinated aggregated 410,461 as
compared with 490,887 in the previous year, or a decrease of 80,426 operations.
Henzada ... ...
Upper Chindwin ... ...
Pegu ... ...
Magwe ... ...
Southern Shan States ...
4,642
2,802
1,809
1,101
958
Minbu ... ...
Prome
...
...
Myaungmya
...
...
Northern Shan States ...
799
503
405
277
The decrease was pretty general throughout the province, only nine districts
showing an increase as per
margin. In the remaining 29
districts the falling off ranged
from 14,432 to 10.
The decrease is, I consider, due in a great measure to closer supervision of
the vaccination staff by Civil Surgeons and to the severe punishments inflicted
on vaccinators convicted of falsifying their returns.
(a) Primary and re-vaccination.—The number of primary operations per-
formed was 385,652, with a percentage of success of 91.69. In the previous
year the number of primary vaccinations was 456,762 and the rate of success
94.71.
The number of persons re-vaccinated during the year was 24,809, or a decline
of 9,316 operations compared with the total of the preceding year. With a
decline in epidemic small-pox, a decrease in the number of re-vaccinations might
naturally be expected, the fear of infection having passed away.
The percentage of success reported (50.26), though lower than the previous
year (58.72), is still too high.
(b) Proportion of population protected.—The proportion of the population
protected was 44.95 against 55.56 in the previous year, a proportion which, consi-
dering our small staff of vaccinators, is, I am afraid, much too good to be true,
and which is higher than the protection afforded by any province in India.
(c) Sex.—According to sex, of the total operated on 213,852 were males
and 196,609 females, the sex percentage being 52 for males and 48 for females.
(d) Number of operations performed by each vaccinator.—The average num-
ber of operations performed by each vaccinator was 2,160 as against 2,611 in
the preceding year. Amherst heads the list with the high figure of 4,271 and
Shwebo and Thayetmyo are not far below with 3,773 and 3,271 respectively;
needless to say these high figures must be regarded with suspicion.
Age.
3. Of the ages of those successfully vaccinated 107,622 were infants under
one year of age, 172,957 children between one and
six, and 73,030 over six years and adults. Thus out of
every 100 persons successfully vaccinated 30 were infants, 49 children between
one and six, and 21 of other ages.
Statement III.
Dispensary vaccination.
4. In dispensaries the number of operations performed amounted to 9,450,
of which 6,653 were primary and 2,797 re-vaccina-
tions. The rates of success attained was 63.57 and
47.59 respectively. The percentage of success is affected by the low rates re-
turned for the Chin Hills (28.39), the Northern Shan States (22.49), Kyaukpyu