4
TRIENNIAL REPORT ON VACCINATION IN BURMA FOR THE YEARS 1908-09 TO 1910-11.
diagram showing the relation between the death-rate from small-pox and the
proportion of the population protected by vaccination in each district is attached.
Statement I.
15. Vaccination in Districts.—In 1910-11, out of 40 districts 21 show a
decrease in vaccination over the returns of 1909-10 in which Pakôkku heads the
list with a diminution of 7,408, followed by Mandalay (6,042), Sagaing (4,965),
Thayetmyo (3,975), and Tavoy (3,340).
The decrease in the amount of vaccination performed in 1910-11 is
accounted for, in Akyab, Kyaukpyu, Magwe, Tavoy, Mergui, Mandalay, Myin-
gyan, Ruby Mines, and Upper Chindwin Districts and Bhamo Town by the absence
of several vaccinators at Meiktila for training; at Sagaing by a rebellion at
Myinmu, and by high infantile mortality ; in Lower Chindwin by the apathy of
vaccinators, the prevalence of plague and the consequent evacuation of villages ;
in Pakôkku by a wide-spread epidemic of measles ; at Thayetmyo by the deputa-
tion of vaccinators to Meiktila for training, the prevalence of malaria and the
illness of two vaccinators ; in Chin Hills by the Assistant Superintendents being
engaged for months on Census work; and at Loimwe by illness of both vaccinators.
Nineteen districts showed an increase headed by Amherst (10,246) and
followed by the Southern Shan States (4,888) : Hanthawaddy shows an increase
of 2,658 and Rangoon 2,010. At Henzada in which there is an increase of 1,478
the Civil Surgeon again reports that vaccination receives little support from the
District Staff.
On comparison of the work done in the triennium under report with the previous
three years 1905-06 to 1907-08, the districts showing the largest decreases are
Henzada by 44,624 ; Rangoon by 24,765 ; and Akyab by 15,055, followed by Upper
Chindwin by 10,956 ; Thayetmyo by 10,599; Pegu by 8,249; Prome by 7,603;
Lower Chindwin by 6,951 ; Sagaing by 6,374; Meiktila by 8,308 ; Bassein by
7,680 ; Pyapôn by 2,909, Tharrawaddy by 2,322 ; Myingyan by 2,957; Yamèthin
by 2,667 and Kyauksè by 1,913.
The only districts showing a decided increase are :—Southern Shan States
by 20,883 ; Pakôkku by 16,837 ; Katha by 8,701, Kyaukpyu by 4,616 ; Thatôn by
3,613 ; Myaungmya by 3,167 ; Hanthawaddy by 2,239 and Amherst by 2,770.
The following districts during the three triennial periods show, respectively,
a steady rise in the number vaccinated :—Northern Arakan Hill Tracts, Sando-
way, Hanthawaddy, Amherst, Thatôn, Katha, Ruby Mines, Pakôkku, Magwe,
Southern Shan States and Chin Hills.
Districts showing a steady fall are :—Pegu, Prome, Tavoy, Toungoo, Upper
Chindwin, Thayetmyo, Meiktila, Yamèthin, Kyauksè, and Henzada. The latter
district shows the most marked decrease from 120,507 in the triennium 1902-03
to 1904-05 to 91,151 in the next period and to 46,527 in the period under report.
In paragraph 9 of the Triennial Report for 1905-06 to 1907-08, Major Williams
drew attention to the remarkable and continued decrease in the number of
vaccinations in the Henzada District, and stated that the Civil Surgeon, Doctor
McCarthy, had explained that the decline was due to the records in the past having
been quite unreliable, that the results reported by Vaccinators were not inspected
or checked in any way, and that the number of operations performed was grossly
exaggerated. A similar state of affairs existed in other districts of the Province,
and these facts must be borne in mind when judging the decrease in triennial periods.
Statement
IV.
16. Vaccination in Municipalities.— The total number of successes from
vaccination in the Municipalities of Burma during 1910-11 was 32,308 against
44,057 in 1909-10 and 38,908 in 1908-09. The percentage of success to the
number vaccinated was 96.13 in primary cases and 58.35 in re-vaccination.
Cent. per cent. successes in primary cases are recorded at Kyaukpyu, Prome,
Ma-ubin, Yandoon, Ngathainggyaung, Mônywa, Taungdwingyi, and Myingyan;
and the lowest percentage of success is returned from Pyinmana. In re-vaccina-
tion Henzada and Taungdwingyi stand highest with 100 per cent. successes, and
Yandoon lowest with 15.38 per cent.
Appendix B.
The number of children under one year of age available for vaccination in
the Municipalities of Burma and the number of successful operations performed
on them are shown in Appendix B. A. very satisfactory grade of protection is
afforded in about 24 towns, out of a total of 47 in which the Act is in force ; in
Prome, Paungdè, Kyaukpyu and Nyaunglebin, Bhamo less than half the number
of available children have been vaccinated. An excess over the number available
for vaccination is seen in Rangoon, Gyobingauk, Moulmein, Tavoy, Mergui,
Toungoo, Ma-ubin, Kyaiklat, Bassein, Shwegyin, Thayetmyo, Myingyan,