TRIENNIAL REPORT ON VACCINATION IN BURMA FOR THE YEARS 1908-09 TO 1910-11.
7
84.4 per cent. and Tavoy and Mergui recorded 94.2 per cent. success. It is
found that Liebrich's lanoline in tins gives uniformly good results provided the
lanoline in the centre of the tin is used. The outer layers show an acidity of
I C.C. N/ 10 Na OH per gramme and are always rejected.
The present strain of vaccine has been maintained for five years and its
strength has been reinforced by passage through 15 rabbits. Difficulty has
been experienced in storing at a low temperature the glycerine lymph for ten days
after manufacture. Cold store boxes and Thermos flasks have been tried but all
have proved a failure. A small refrigerating plant is really required but the initial
expense is more than can be afforded at present.
The Depôt has unfortunately suffered severe loss in calves during the
triennium from Hæmorrhagic Septicæmia and Rinderpest. Eighty-eight calves
died in 1910-11 and 150 in 1909-10.
The experiments in sealing tubes with parafine and wax in place of by heat
are progressing favourably.
At Rangoon 47 calves were vaccinated; 18,557 grains of scraping were
obtained giving a higher average output than obtained at Meiktila of 391.72
grains per calf. The quality of the lymph has been satisfactory, producing 99.11
per cent. of successes in primary cases. The potency of the strain was not
maintained by this Depôt. Seed lymph was introduced from Bangalore and
Meiktila.
23. Training of Vaccination Staff.—Three Native Superintendents and
116 District Vaccinators and 39 apprentice Vaccinators underwent training at
Meiktila during the year 1910-11.
During the triennial period, 19 Native Superintendents of Vaccination,
116 District Vaccinators, and 87 apprentice Vaccinators were trained at Meiktila.
24. Vaccination Instruments.—Weir's metal combined scrapers and lancets
forged entirely of solid steel and nickle plated are used for vaccination. In addi-
tion a vaccination haversack containing all the requisites for vaccine operations is
being gradually supplied to all vaccinators.
25. New Vaccination Form.—To ensure the vaccination of all newly born
children, a special combined birth and vaccination register has been introduced,
Vaccination Form Sanitary — 8 Vac., in which the date when the child
is liable to vaccination, the date of vaccination, the causes of non-vaccination
from death, illness or removal from the town, etc., are entered.
26. Inoculation.—The Prohibition of Inoculation Act is only in force in the
Hanthawaddy and Pegu Districts. That the extension of the Act is urgently
required can be gathered from the fact that of the 20 districts reporting small-pox
epidemics, 11 reported inoculation, and in 6 it was expressly stated that the
epidemics were the direct result of inoculation. The explosion of a bomb in a
village would not be followed by a more deadly result than is brought about
by the visit of an inoculator. I hope the day is not far distant when this fact will
be appreciated by Magistrates and a suitable punishment inflicted instead of fines
from Rs. 5 to Rs. 50.
Inoculation is reported to have been carried out in the following districts:—
Hanthawaddy, Ma-ubin, Pyapôn, Henzada, Myaungmya, Amherst, Toungoo,
Thatôn, Yamèthin, Myingyan, and the Southern Shan States. In Hanthawaddy,
Myaungmya, Pegu, Ma-ubin and Pyapôn, outbreaks of small-pox have been
traced to the visits of inoculators. In Ma-ubin and Yamèthin inoculators were
fined Rs. 20 and Rs. 15 each respectively.
In Myaungmya inoculation was detected in five villages and was the direct
cause of 6 deaths. In Ma-ubin 82 deaths were traced to inoculation.
In Hanthawaddy an inoculator was prosecuted and ordered to pay a fine
of Rs. 50 or to undergo, in default, 7 days' rigorous imprisonment.
27. Attitude of People.— In Hanthawaddy and Pegu inoculation is openly
preferred to vaccination. In Magwe and Henzada vaccination is unpopular. In
Tharrawaddy and Amherst several villages show a hostile attitude towards the
vaccination operation. In Pyapôn, Myaungmya, and Salween vaccination is
appreciated only by Karens. Chins in Minbu, Shans in Salween, and Shans,
Talaings, Taungthus, and Karens in Thatôn object to the vaccination operation,
28. General remarks on Vaccination in Burma.—-The small number of
vaccinations performed in Burma by each vaccinator is largely due to the difficulty
of touring; roads are poor or absent; the country intersected by streams and
rivers, is practically impassable during the rainy season. Irrespective of this the