From Surgeon-Major H. W. BELLEW, C.S.I., Sanitary Commissioner, Punjab, to the Secretary to Government,
Punjab.—No. 3409, dated Lahore, 27th September 1880.
IN reply to your No. 2978, dated 13th instant, I have the honor to
submit the Report on the Vaccine Operations in the Punjab for the year
ending 31st March 1880, drawn out by Dr. Bennett, Deputy Sanitary Com-
missioner. As the report embraces a period during which Dr. "Bennett, as
Superintendent-General of Vaccination in the Punjab, held independent charge
of the Vaccine Department, I have nothing to say on the general working of
the establishment, and will therefore confine my remarks to the amount and
quality of the work done during the year by the different establishments
attached to the department.
2. There was a total of 381,166 operations performed during the year
under review, against 481,922 in the previous year, showing a decrease of no
less than 100,756. This enormous falling-off in the number of vaccinations
during the year under report has taken place in the work of all establishments,
and is ascribed by Dr. Bennett (1) to a considerable portion of the Provincial
establishment having been less efficiently supervised, owing to the appointment
of Superintendent of Vaccination having remained vacant since April 1879 ;
(2) to the excessive sickness and mortality amongst the infants and children
from zymotic diseases during the last two years throughout the greater part
of the Province ; (3) to the diminished birth-rate resulting from long pre-
valence of sickness and the enfeebled state of health to which it reduced the
population ; and (4) to operations being confined during the year to old vac-
cinated districts, whereas during the two preceding years eight new districts
were undertaken. These causes, however, being for the most part of an excep-
tional nature, Dr. Bennett has reason to believe that this check to the progress
of operations will prove but of temporary duration.
No. 1257, dated 3rd April 1880, from Sec-
retary to Government, Punjab, to Sanitary
Commissioner, Punjab.
No. 1704, dated 5th May 1880, from
ditto to ditto.
3. In accordance with the letters marginally noted, referring to paragraph
7 of the Government of India Notification No.
150, dated 15th March 1880, amalgamating the
Vaccine Department with the Sanitary Commis-
sioner's Office, and placing the Superintendent-
General of Vaccination with the Vaccine Staff under the orders of the Sanitary
Commissioner, I submitted in June last, for the favorable consideration of
Government, a scheme for the proposed reorganization of the amalgamated
departments. This scheme, if sanctioned and duly carried out, will, I trust,
place the department on a better footing for the efficient performance of the
work it has to do.
4. The following table shows the general results obtained during the
year under report, as compared with those of the previous year :—
By Provincial
establishment.
By Dispensary
and other estib-
lishment.
Total ..
Total operations, in-
cluding re-vaccina-
tions.
1878-79.
391,529
90,393
481,922
1879-80.
311,123
70,043
381,166
PRIMARY.
Total.
1878-79.
380,118
85,301
465,419
1879-80.
301,835
67,657
369,492
Successful.
1878-79.
359,893
75,756
435,649
1879-80.
288,141
59,846
347,987