FOR THE YEAR 1923-24.
7
verifying re-vaccination done by the former class of officers is about
the same as in the last year (6.52 per cent. for the current year
against 6.80 for last year); whereas the latter class of officers claim
to have verified 43.23per cent. as against 41.92 for last year. Veri-
fication done by Inspectors in districts where large numbers were pri-
marily vaccinated was as follows :—93.84 per cent. in Upper Chindwin,
87.16 per cent. in Rangoon, 85.56 inAla-ubin, 81.59 per cent. in Pegu,
76.38 per cent. in Pyapôn, 71.49 per cent. in Yamtèthin, 71.01 per
cent. in Mandalay and 70.77 per cent. in Tavoy. Under the head of
'' Re-vaccination," 87.75 per cent. in Upper Chindwin, 85.93 per cent.
in Akyab, 70.57 per cent. in Rangoon, 62.04 per cent. in Lower
Chindwin and 60.44 per cent. in Ma-ubin are reported to have been
verified by the Inspectors.
The Civil Surgeon, Lower Chindwin District, has reported a high
rate of verification, 90.71 per cent. and 88.13 per cent. respectively
under the heads " Primary and Re-vaccinations." He reports
Wunthanu obstruction as a stumbling block to progress in vaccination
in the district. The Chairman of the District Council advises the
extension of the Vaccination Acts. Among other districts which return
large figures of verification by District Officers are Myitkyina, Putao,
Bhamo, Yamèthin, Meiktila, Lower Chindwin, Chin Hills, Mergui
and Sandoway.
13. Vaccine Depôt, Meiktila.—During the year 334 calves were
successfully inoculated in the Meiktila Depôt. Out of these, 14
either failed to take or yielded lymph of such poor quality that it had
to be destroyed. In October 1923 a change in technique was intro-
duced, viz., the vaccination of calves before segregation instead of
afterr. The failure of the 14 calves to take properly was prior to that
date but since then there have been no failures. The assumption is
that some calves while under segregation became accidentally
inoculated with the vaccinia virus. The lymph strain was rejuvenated
during the year by passage through rabbits, 21 rabbits in all having
been used. The issue of lymph to Superintendents of Vaccination
and others totalled 962,184 doses against 956,018 doses issued last
year.
The net expenditure of the department amounted to Rs.
17,936-8-4 or a decrease of Rs. 6,769-12-10 in comparison with that
of the previous year. There was a marked decrease in expenditure
under the head of " Establishment, Other Subordinates' Salaries, and
Travelling Allowance," this being due to the smaller number of
apprentice vaccinators trained during the year.
The cost of feeding calves has been less than last year owing to
better arrangements for buying grass. The sum of Rs. 5,984-6-2
has been realized by the sale of lymph and vaccinated calves and
has been deposited in the treasury. There is still a balance of
Rs. 492-6-5 realizable under the said items, so the total sales for the
year have amounted to Rs. 6,476-12-7.
A certain amount of lymph is still being wasted, though far less
than was reported in the previous year. This was presumably due
to the Director of Public Health, Burma, Circular No. 4871—19V.R.,
of 1st October 1923, by which Civil Surgeons were directed to report
a wastage amounting to more than 20 per cent. of the lymph issued