APPENDICES.
xix.
ably possessed little potency for vaccination purposes and lost its efficacy
quickly. Even in favourable weather, when the plentiful supply of green
fodder makes it possible to obtain calves in good condition at Taunggyi,
there is a tendency for the strain of vaccine cultivated at the depôt to
deteriorate in potency. So that it becomes necessary to introduce fresh
supplies of vaccine from other districts from time to time to improve the
strain here.
The considerable period which must elapse between the despatch of vaccine
paste from Taunggyi and its receipt at distant stations, such as Lashio and
Kindat, has been responsible for its deterioration on several occasions, thus
it sometimes reaches Kindat over 14 days from date of preparation and
cannot always be brought into use at once after receipt there.
During the year under review the following numbers of primary operations performed
with their results have been reported:—
Locality Primary
successful.
Kindat ... ...
Bhamo
...
...
Mogôk ... ...
Myaungmya ... ...
Meiktila ... ...
Mônywa ... ...
Yamèthin ... ...
Myanaung ... ...
Kyauksè ... ...
Katha ... ...
Lashio ... ...
Pegu ... ...
Fort Stedman ... ...
Myingyan ... ...
Magwe ... ...
Henzada
...
...
Bassein
...
...
Sandoway ... ...
Myitkyina ... ...
709 =
426 = 60.08
890 =
439 = 49.33
483 =
435 = 90.06
1,398 = 1,242 = 88.84
661 =
363 = 54.92
3,964 = 3,467 = 87.46
920 =
670 = 72.83
557 =
228 = 40.93
809 =
421 = 52.04
817 =
739 = 90.40
1,411 =
698 = 49.47
309 =
295 = 95.47
127 =
99 = 77.95
230 =
168 = 73.04
412 =
39 = 9.47
802 =
700 = 87.28
243 =
139 = 57.20
1,070 = 1,058 = 98.88
209 =
177 = 84.69
Per cent. successes.
These reports represent the results obtained with only a portion of the vaccine paste
supplied to them, e.g., Pegu, which has received almost monthly supplies.
At some stations, of which the most notable are Myaungmya, Mônywa, Mogôk, Yamè¬
thin, Katha, and Henzada, satisfactory results with Taunggyi vaccine paste have nearly
always been obtained. At others, satisfactory results are rarely obtained, e.g., Myanaung
and Magwe.
Again, at those stations which are at so great a distance from Taunggyi that the vaccine
paste reaches there about 10 days or a fortnight after despatch, relatively poor results have
been obtained, e.g., Lashio, Bhamo, Kindat, and Bassein.
The results obtained at Sandoway in June 1899 were remarkably good : 1,058 out of
1,070 primary operations having been successful in one month.
General Remarks.— I wish here, in conclusion, to briefly review the results obtained
during the year, to discuss the more important causes of failures met with, and the pros-
pects for the future working of the institution.
The vaccine depôt was opened as an experimental measure in 1896-97, and it was con-
sidered that while it remained in the experimental stage the work could be carried on in
the Civil Surgeon's office by the ordinary hospital staff. In 1897-98 it was found neces-
sary, owing to the demand for vaccine paste from the depôt having become established,
to ask for a clerk to carry on the work of the depôt under the Civil Surgeon's orders, the
Hospital Assistant superintending the work in the Civil Surgeon's absence. The demand
for vaccine paste continued to increase, and just at the end of 1898-99 the vaccine depôt
clerk resigned his post at the time when 1 was transferred to the charge of this district.
The substitute sent by the Inspector-General of Jails with Civil Medical Administration,
Burma, to succeed the retiring vaccine depôt clerk was a young and inexperienced
Burman, who had had little previous experience of Government office work and none of
vaccination work, he having previously been an Assistant Postmaster for a few months
only. The Hospital Assistant of the Civil Dispensary, who had lately taken over his
charge here, was also a young and inexperienced man, and could give no assistance in
the vaccine depôt. This occurred in the hot weather when the efficiency of the vaccine
cultivated at Taunggyi had begun to fail, and calves were very difficult to procure. These
several adverse conditions proved unfavourable to the work of the institution, which almost
came to a standstill in February and March 1899. By April the obstacles had been over-
come and progress again become apparent. During the year under review there has been
a large increase in the demand for vaccine paste by stations in Burma. I find that the pre-
sent vaccine depôt clerk can only with difficulty carry on the work of the depôt in my
absence, and the present Hospital Assistant has not been able to give much help owing to
his inability to do more than carry on the work of the dispensary and office single handed.
I therefore feel, that if the work of the depôt is to increase, a change in the system under
which it is carried on is inevitable. I propose that an experienced clerk, by preference a