FOR THE YEAR 1923-24.
5
per cent. Putao returns the lowest rate of 86.60 per cent. but this, the
Civil Surgeon explains, was due to the fact that a large number of cases
have to remain unverified owing to the vast area included, and to the
fact that the escort Sub-Assistant Surgeon and others on duty are
unable to return by the same route as that taken on the outward
journey.
6. Vaccination Towns.—Thers are 61 towns under the provisions
of the Vaccination Act, and from these 95,905 operations are reported
to have been performed, out of which 42,394 were primary and
53,511 were re-vaccinations. An increase of 2,202 cases is obtained
under re-vaccinations, whereas the figure for primary vaccination is
almost the same as that for the previous year. Towns in which the
work of re-vaccination has markedly slackened are Akyab, Pyinmana
and Yenangyaung; while Salin, Yandoon, Ma-ubin, Wakèma, Allan-
myo and Prome show an excellent advance in this respect. Pyu is
the only town which has done no re-vaccination at all; and with
regard to primary vaccination this year's figure (193) is far below that
of last year (272). This is due to the fact that the post of vaccinator
was vacant for five months in the year, and the appointment changed
hands twice during the rest of the year. Yenangyaung returns only
170 and 430 cases of primary and re-vaccinations respectively, as
against 1,227 and 1,531 of last year. The explanation is to be found
in the fact that there was a big outbreak of small-pox there last year
and the resulting vaccination left little to be done during the year
under review.
The percentage successes of primary and re-vaccinations are 98.92
and 53.23,—those for the previous year being 98.95 and 57.27 respec-
tively. Amongst primary vaccinations, the lowest percentage of
successes was shown against Yandoon (86.20), and Pyawbwe obtained
only 91.94 per cent. while as many as 24 towns reported the maxi-
mum result of 100 per cent. Myanaung is at the bottom of the list
in the matter of re-vaccinations, (only 25 successful) the percentage of
successful to total known cases being 8.71. Pakôkku appears next
above it with 9.13 per cent. in this respect.
Appdx.
B.
7. Infant Vaccination.—In the whole Province the number of
one year of age died during the year, leaving 22,690 survivors avail
able for vaccination. Successful operations are reported to have
been performed on 25,103 infants. The fact that 33 towns returned
as vaccinated a number of infants in excess of those apparently
available is probably to be accounted for by interchange between
urban and rural populations, and the large number of births unregis-
tered. As in previous years, in many towns a number of infants under
12 months of age appear to evade vaccination. Comment in expla-
nation of such omission is not forthcoming. In some instances no
doubt vaccination is postponed owing to ill-health, and in others family
migration is the explanation; but, after making due allowance for
both, it is apparent that the Vaccination Acts are not enforced with
any thoroughness in certain towns. There are no less than 20 towns
in which over 10 per cent. of available infants are unvaccinated, the
most prominent among them being Shwebo with 41.20 per cent.
Paungdè with 39.13 per cent., Kyaukpyu with 37.37 per cent.