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APPENDIX A.
Annual Report of the Animal Vaccination Depôt for the year 1890-91.
Expenditure.
The total expenditure since the establishment of the depôt, viz., 13th January 1890, up to 31st
March 1891, was Rs. 5,671-13-11, out of which Rs. 440-7-1 were expended
in the financial year 1889-90 and Rs. 5,231-6-10 in 1890-91. A statement
showing the expenditure on different heads and a cash statement are attached herewith.
Purchase and repair of building.
2. A building was purchased for Rs. 350, and Rs. 302-2-6 was expended for repairing the building
and constructing new cow stalls and a fireplace with chimney.
The total expenditure on this head was Rs. 652-2-6, out of which
Rs. 300 were expended in the year 1889-90 and Rs. 352-2-6 in 1890-91.
Animals.
3. Three goats were purchased for Rs. 4-11, to see whether they could be vaccinated as
successfully as calves, but the experiment proved a failure. One
died, and the remaining two were sold for Rs. 2-12. The net
cost was Re. 1-15. 467 calves were purchased at a net expenditure of Rs. 2,452, i.e., 467 calves were
bought at Rs. 7 each = Rs. 3,926. Rs. 817 were realised by the sale of calves, which leaves a net
cost, under this head, of Rs. 2,452. A contractor was engaged almost throughout the year, who
supplied calves at Rs. 7 each, out of which amount he returned Rs. 3 when he got back the calf.
Only 19 calves were disposed of by private sale for Rs. 64. Out of 467 calves, 187 died, 270 were
sold or returned, and 10 remained in hand on the 1st April 1891.
4. A statement showing deaths of calves in different stages month by month is attached herewith,
which will at once show that excessive cold is the sole cause of mortality. The number of deaths
among the protected calves is much greater than the unprotected, as the former, being weak, could not
endure excessive cold. Again, January and February were the months of the greatest number of
deaths. The total expenditure under the head " Animals" was Rs. 2,453-15.
Feeding of animals.
5. Rs. 199-10-6 were expended for purchasing rice, calm, grass,
and salt for feeding calves.
Miscellaneous
6. The total expenditure on this head was Rs. 1,229-15-9, out of which Rs. 871-4 were
expended for 124,000 empty capillary vaccine tubes, Rs. 42 for
service stamps and postcards, and the remaining Rs. 316-11-9 for
purchasing instruments, furniture, packing boxes, rope, candles, wax, &c.
Establishment.
7. The establishment consists of one second-grade Hospital Assistant, three coolies, and one sweeper.
The Hospital Assistant gets Rs. 53-12, each coolie Rs. 9, and sweeper
Rs. 12 per month. Only one coolie was appointed in the beginning
of the year, and the remaining were appointed subsequently as the work increased. The total pay
drawn by coolies and sweeper was Rs. 350-11-1, and the Hospital Assistants' pay amounted to
Rs. 785-7-1, out of which he drew Rs. 140-7-1 in 1889-90 and Rs. 645 in 1890-91.
The total expenditure under the head Establishment was Rs. 1,136-2-2, viz., Rs. 140-7-1 in
1889-90 and 995-11-1 in 1890-91.
Vaccination.
8. 412 calves were vaccinated during the year, out of which 40 died in stall, so lymph could not
be obtained from them, and lymph obtained from 11 calves was
solely used in mixing with lanoline for experiment. 118,486 tubes
were loaded from the lymph obtained from the remaining 361 calves. So the average quantity of
lymph gathered from each calf was 328.21 tubes.
Distribution
9. 112,475 tubes of lymph were distributed to the Civil Surgeons of Assam, and the remaining
6,011 tubes of lymph have been used in vaccinating calves (some
of the first loaded had to be destroyed).
In the beginning of the vaccination season 3,000 tubes were supplied weekly to all the districts
of Assam, but the supply was increased by and by according to demand to 5,170, in addition to the
extra supply to the various regiments and contingent supplies.
There was no breach of regular supply except on one or two occasions for a day or two, which was
caused by the want of empty tubes in hand. This was caused again by the sudden demand of increased
supply by various Civil Surgeons, and to the Calcutta market not being able to supply the necessary
number of tubes.
Quality.
10. Fifty-six children were vaccinated in the depôt in order to see the efficacy of calf lymph, and
all except one were successful. In addition to that, it was tried
by the Medical Officer, 43rd Gurkha Light Infantry, who used
it upon six men and three children, and reported that vaccination had been successful in all the cases.
The Civil Surgeon, Kohima, reported by wire " vaccination very successful." This lymph is No.
H2 which was returned by the Civil Surgeon, Dhubri, as unsafe to be used. Probably he returned
the lymph without seeing the result obtained from its use. Surgeon Major S. Borah reported on the
31st March 1891 that "so far the lymph proved very successful, but from the latter part of the current
month (March) it is not so good, which may be attributed to the heat of the weather." The Officiating
Civil Surgeon of Sylhet, Dr. Partridge, reported—" The percentage of successful cases of vaccination
throughout the district has been very great and highly satisfactory." The Civil Surgeon of Dhubri,
on the 5th March 1891 reported " the lymph has proved excellent." The cause of objection which
was raised by the last named officer is the use of serum. Afterwards, it was seen that solid lymph
mixed with serum does not keep well for a long time, so the practice was abandoned, though Dr.
Barclay in his pamphlet advocates its use. Human lymph was frequently used in vaccinating calves
to make the lymph as good as possible. Arrangements were made with the vaccinators in this district
to supply weekly the human lymph which was required for use in the depôt.