TRIENNIAL REPORT ON VACCINATION IN BURMA FOR THE YEARS 1908-09 TO 1910-11.
5
Pakôkku, Kyauksè, Minbu, Salin, and Meiktila, but is most marked in
Yamèthin in which 268 children were vaccinated and 57 were available for
vaccination. This large discrepancy needs further inquiry. The excess in the
other towns can be accounted for by children of immigrants and children born in
rural areas being brought into the town for vaccination, and also by the fact that
deaths of children which are recorded from the annual return may have taken place
after vaccination leading to a reduction in the total of cases available for vaccination.
Statement
III.
17. Dispensary Vaccination.—The number of operations performed by
Medical Subordinates at Dispensaries during 1910-11 was 18,133—8,268 primary
and 9,865 re-vaccinations as compared with 12,261 in 1909-10 and 14,087 in
1908-09, showing a considerable increase during the past year. The total number
of operations performed during the period under review was 44,481 as compared
with 55,159 in the previous triennium. The percentage of verified primary
vaccination successes was 95.03 as compared with 91.93 and 81.21, respectively,
of the figures obtained in the two previous triennial periods. At the Dis-
pensaries of Bogale and Dedayè no dispensary vaccination appears to be carried
out. Vaccination was also not performed in any of the Dispensaries in the Akyab,
Prome, Pyapôn, Tavoy, Thatôn, Sagaing, Minbu, Kyauksè, and Myingyan Districts.
18. Cantonment Vaccination.—Total number of operations reported from the
Cantonments of Rangoon and Mandalay is 4,566—primary 1,990, re-vaccination
2,576 with a successful percentage of 96.03 primary and 64.48 re-vaccination.
Statement
IV.
19. Under the heading "Government" the total number of vaccination and
the number of verified successes were 467,961 and 444,605 showing a consider-
able increase as compared with 436,647 and 388,586 in the previous triennium.
During the triennium under review the year 1909-10 returned the highest figures.
Under the heading " Local Funds ", the season 1909-10 shows a decrease over
1908-09 followed by a considerable increase in the 1910-11 season. The
Native States show a gradual increase throughout the seasons of the triennium.
20. Vaccination Act.—During the triennium under report the Vaccination
Act has been extended to the towns of Nyaunglebin and Danubyu.
In 1908 an Act was passed to provide for the prohibition of inoculation and
the licensing of vaccinators in Burma. The provisions of this Act provide for the
punishment of inoculators by imprisonment which may extend to three months or
by a fine of Rs. 200 or both. The Civil Surgeons may license private
vaccinators to practise vaccination in a local area and may suspend or cancel such
license; the punishments prescribed for vaccination without license or vaccination
outside the licensed area extend up to Rs. 50 or one month's imprisonment or both.
In 1909 the Burma Vaccination Law Amendment Act was passed, giving
powers (a) to direct vaccination of young children exposed to infection, (b) to
require any unprotected persons to submit to vaccination within seven days, (c) to
vaccinate occupants of houses, let-in lodgings, or unprotected persons in a factory
forthwith, (d) to require all labourers on landing at Rangoon or any port to which
the Local Government by notification may extend the section to proceed to a
place of inspection, and if unprotected to submit themselves to vaccination, (e)
to the Health Officer, Superintendent of Vaccination, and other officers authorized
in this behalf to arrest persons failing to submit to vaccination under sections 7
and 9 of the Act, and (f) to punish for neglect to answer questions and to show
the marks of alleged vaccination
Statement
V.
21. Verification :—
TABLE E.
Triennium ending
1904—05
1907—08
1910—11
Civil Surgeon, Primary.
228,194
183,360
113,011
Re-vaccination.
36,664
61,119
27,893
The actual figures for the last year of the previous triennial period and
for the three years of present triennium were—
Years.
1907—08
1908—09
1909—10
1910—11
Primary.
47,420
38,589
36,616
37,836
Re-vaccination.
12,828
11,311
9,254
7,330
During the present triennium verification by Civil Surgeons has been steadily
decreasing but is most marked from the year 1908. This decrease (70,319) is
perhaps unavoidable owing to an order issued by the Inspector-General of Civil
Hospitals in 1908 that all duties relating to sanitation and vaccination of towns