16
APPENDIX TO DEPÔT REPORT.
Results of the first three supplies of lymph from the Shillong Animal Vaccine Depôt.
Circular No. 168., dated Shillong, the 16th November 1892.
From—The Principal Medical Officer and Sanitary Commissioner, Assam.
To—All Civil Surgeons, Assam.
I have the honour to request the favour of being informed at an early date of the results of the
first three supplies of lymph from the Shillong Animal Vaccination Depôr, commencing from the 15th
October 1892, the results of each supply to be given separately.
No 87S., dated Shillong, the 28th January 1893.
From—The Principal Medical Officer and Sanitary Commissioner, Assam,
To—The Civil Surgeon, Shillong.
In forwarding herewith a summary of results of the first three supplies of lymph supplied from
the Shillong Animal Lymph Depôt, in your charge, I have the honour to request that you will be
good enough to observe greater care in preparing and loading such supplies, so as to afford better
results for the rest of the current season and in future generally. In nearly every case the first
supplies of lymph from your Depôt were actual or comparative failures. I have, however, ascertained by
my inspections at the different centres that the subsequent supplies have been generally most successful
in their results. You must at once take such steps in collecting, preparing, and loading, as will tend,
by the excellence of the glycerine lymph so produced, as to make up for the deficiencies of the earlier
lymph of this season.
Report on Lanoline Lymph.
(1) During the non-working season at the vaccine depôt, i.e., between April and September,
a few experiments have been made with lanoline and glycerine lymph to see which was the better.
It was found that lanoline lymph was as efficacious as glycerine lymph for a certain period, about 3
weeks, but after that time could not be depended on.
(2) This seems quite natural, for the glycerine lymph is hermetically sealed in capillary tubes,
and is not opened till required, and each tube vaccinates but the one patient, whereas lanoline
lymph is in bulk and has to be stored in small glass bottles, which are only corked and are opened for
each patient.
(3) The following points in favour of glycerine lymph were noted :
(i) The scarification on the child's arm does not require to be so deep with glycerine lymph
as with lanoline, as the lymph is more fluid and soaks in better, and is more readily
absorbed.
(ii) During the operation the lymph does not require to be rubbed in so forcibly for the
same reason.
(iii) Glycerine lymph will keep much longer than lanoline lymph.
(4) The points in favour of lanoline lymph are—
(i) It is more easily made in bulk than glycerine, because it is tedious work loading tubes.
(ii) It is cheaper, because the small bottles used could be utilized again and again, whereas
the tubes cannot.
The final conclusion I have arrived at is that as far as Assam is concerned the only lymph which
will give satisfaction is the glycerine, as distances are so great and it must often be a fortnight between
the loading of the tube and the time it reaches the vaccinators.
(5) Attached is a table showing the results obtained. It will be seen that 29 cases were vaccinated
with glycerine, varying from 1 day to 51 days in age, and that every case was successful and that
the same number were vaccinated with lanoline lymph, but every case in which the lymph was more
than 30 days old was a failure.
Lanoline lymph.
Number
perforated.
1
2
1
2
4
1
1
1
3
4
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
Total 29
Duration of
lymph in days.
46
51
2
5
6
12
13
14
18
1
2
14
12
31
36
28
49
50
.........
Strength of
lymph.
1 to 5
1 „ 5
1 „ 2
1 „ 2
1 „ 2
1 „ 2
1 „ 2
1 „ 2
1„ 2
1 „ 3
1„ 3
1 „ 2
1 „ 3
1 „ 3
1 „ 2
1 „ 3
1 „ 3
1 „ 3
......
Glycerine lymph.
Number
performed.
1
2
1
2
4
1
1
1
3
4
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
29
Duration of
lymph.
46
51
2
5
6
12
13
14
18
1
2
14
12
31
36
28
49
50
......
Lanoline lymph.
Successful.
......
......
1
2
4
1
1
1
3
4
1
2
......
......
......
......
......
20
Unsuccessful
1
2
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
1
1
1
1
1
1
9
Glycerine lymph.
Successful.
1
2
1
2
4
1
1
1
3
4
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
29
Uusuccessful.
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...