2
NOTES AND STATISTICS ON VACCINATION IN BURMA FOR THE YEAR 1903-04.
In Municipalities where the Vaccination Act is in force, 86.93 per cent. were
successfully protected.
The towns which return the highest percentage of protection are—Kyaukpyu
(253.45) ; Myaungmya (161.21); Myingyan (119.27) ; Shwebo (117.53); Akyab
(111.14) ; Pyinmana (109.62); Kyauksè (104.88); Toungoo (102.85) ; Tavoy
(100.00); and Bassein (99.74)).
The excess number of vaccinations over the number available in some towns
is explained as being due to children of visitors from outlying places brought in
for vaccination, and to unvaccinated infants who remained over from the previous
year. Erroneous entry of age by the vaccinators is also a probable cause.
The towns showing the lowest percentage of infantile protection are—Salin
(54.79); Thatôn (53.27) ; Yandoon (50.13); Letpadan (44.51); Kyaikto (33.14);
Ma-ubin (21.37) ; and Yamèthin (11.61).
The attention of Civil Surgeons have been drawn to their responsibility in
the worst protected Municipalities.
Appendices A and
In the town of Rangoon 65 per cent. of the available children were protected.
In this town there was an increase of 4,632 operations, or 54 per cent. over last
year's work and over 100 per cent. on the work of 1901-1902. The rate of suc-
cess was 98 per cent.
7. Protection to population.—The total number of deaths registered from
small-pox in Lower Burma during the year was 1,266, and the ratio of mortality
0.23 per 1,000 of the population against 1,565 and 0.28, respectively, in the previous
year. The protection afforded by vaccination in these years was 31.47 and 29.94
per 1,000 respectively.
Taking the figures available for the province by five-year periods it will be
seen by a reference to Appendix A that though the protection afforded by vacci-
nation increased from 23.6 per 1,000 in 1888—1893 to 44.9 and 49.4, respectively,
in the two following quinquenniums yet the death rate from small-pox was also
progressive, rising from 0.51 per 1,000 in 1888-1893 and 0.44 in 1893-1898 to
0.76 in the period 1898-1903.
It must be remembered, however, that there is a strong prejudice in favour
of inoculation in the districts generally, and since personal infection is the govern-
ing factor in the spread of the disease, small-pox must always be more or less
prevalent, so long as inoculation continues and epidemic exacerbations will occur
periodically according to the epidemic constitution of the year. For, though
small-pox may be introduced into a susceptible population, yet it will not apparent-
ly give rise to a general epidemic unless the prevailing climatic conditions are
favourable to its spread. What these conditions are we do not know, but the fact
remains that at certain irregular intervals small-pox, as judged by its wider spread,
is more infectious than it is in other years with equal opportunities for its dissemi-
nation. Though communication by rail and road have improved in recent years
yet, notwithstanding this increased opportunity for personal intercourse, these
epidemic out-breaks have declined in frequency, a fact which may fairly be attri-
buted to the inhibitory effects of Vaccination.
Province.
Bengal ...
Punjab ...
United Provin-
ces.
North West Pro-
vinces.
Madras ...
Bombay ...
Assam ...
Burma ...
Burma, 1903 ...
DEATH RATE PER 1,000 FROM SMALL-POX.
Average of five years.
0.28
0.36
0.40
0.78
0.7
0.24
0.62
0.76
...
1902.
0.77
0.58
0.10
0.64
0.7
0.12
1.26
0.07
0.23
The mortality from small-pox in
Burma though higher than it should be
does not however compare so unfavour-
ably with the figures for other Indian
Provinces as shown in the margin.
Statement No. III.
8. Dispensary Vaccination.—As compared with the previous year there was
an increase of 2,667 in the number of vaccinations performed at dispensaries,
Primary vaccinations increased by 2,302 and re-vaccinations by 365.
The total number of children under one year successfully vaccinated was 476
more than in the previous year.