2
NOTES AND STATISTICS ON VACCINATION
(7,954), and Thatôn (6,134). These results reflect creditably upon the Medical
Officers concerned, namely, Captain N. P. O'Gorman Lalor, Major Pridmore,
Lieutenant-Colonel Evans, and Local Assistant Surgeon Maung Tha Nu.
Statements
Nos. I and
III.
7. The total average number of cases operated upon by each vaccinator
amounted to 1,956, against 1,706 of the preceding year. Medical subordinates
in charge of dispensaries contributed 17,507 cases to the total stated.
Statements
Nos. I and
III.
8. A decrease of 1,707 cases occurred in Upper Chindwin. This may be
regarded as sufficiently accounted for by the difficulties met by vaccinators owing
to unusual flooding of certain areas. In Prome, an unsatisfactory decrease of
2,054 cases occurred. The Civil Surgeon considers this result as due to the
employment of more honest and reliable vaccinators than hitherto. Pending
inspection of the area concerned, this statement, which implies a very heavy
indictment, may be accepted. In the case of Tavoy, however, a decrease of no
less than 8,651 cases cannot be regarded with equanimity. The Civil Surgeon
has attempted to account for the results by stating that the population was so
fully protected by vaccination as to lead to the serious decrease of cases named.
This is certainly untenable, even if the intercensal rate of increase be not taken
into account.
Statement I.
9. In the Municipality of Rangoon, the increase of 24,081 cases was largely
due to belated vigour in vaccinating, following the severe epidemic of small-pox
which prevailed during the year. During this epidemic, there was a total of 3,975
cases with 1,276 deaths. No such heavy incidence of small-pox has occurred in
the town of Rangoon since 1883. The popular lay opinion was that this result
was brought about by introduction of small-pox into Municipal limits by coolies
from India. Major Williams, the Health Officer, however, has secured from the
Port Health Officer a statement showing that inspection and segregation of
incoming passengers is so efficient as to put this possibility, as an important cause,
aside. On the opposite, Major Williams is able to show that the period of the
increase of the disease corresponded with the entrance into the town of coolies
(who were already in the country) on their return from surrounding districts,
where they had been engaged in the paddy harvest.
10. Arrangements for checking the spread of epidemics of small-pox in the
Rangoon Municipality are certainly defective in respect to staff. For a prolonged
period, preserved vaccine has been produced in a local depôt; but the Health
Officer shows that he is unable to maintain transmission of vaccine from calf to calf
without resorting to the Bangalore Vaccine Institute for fresh stock. I would
add that, in my opinion, no other result could possibly be expected from the hands
of the most experienced officer, as the whole arrangements as to stabling calves
are absolutely bad. Indeed, I have seen vaccine pulp gathered in this depôt
that I would elsewhere have refrained from using under any circumstances. I
have represented to the Municipality that their depôt does not fulfil modern
requirements without, however, securing any attention to the matter.
Appendix B.
11. In the Municipalities of Letpadan, Pryapôn, Taungdwingyi and Kyaiklat,
work was evidently careless, as less than half of the available cases of infants
were vaccinated.
Statement
No. I.
12. The rate of success in the total primary cases in the Province, after
omitting unknown results, amounts to 90.80 per cent. In the Rangoon Munici-
pality, although there existed the obvious advantage of little exposure to high
temperature of preserved vaccine, beyond that necessary for the few hours
during which operations were conducted, the total rate of success, namely, 84.86
per cent. was decidedly poor. This, however, is an improvement upon the prece-
ding year when it was 73.67. In the Hanthawaddy District, the rates of 76.34 per
cent. and, in Thatôn, 73.13 per cent. are excessively low. The total variation is
between the figure stated for Thatôn and the extraordinary result of 9,620 cases
with a success rate of 100 per cent. in the case of Yamèthin. It may be safely
said that the latter figure is out of place in an official report. Enquiries will be
made as to how this hitherto unexampled result has been arrived at.
Statement
No. I.
13. The total re-vaccinations amounted to 54,297. This number is certainly
much smaller than is desirable ; as both European and recent Indian records point
to the necessity of the confirmation of the immunizing influence of infantile
vaccination, by a repetition of the operation about the age of puberty. The
importance of urging the population to accept re-vaccination, rests in the fact that