NOTES ON VACCINATION IN ASSAM FOR THE YEAR 1912-1913.
1. Introductory.—I was in charge of the Department throughout the year. The
office of the Deputy Sanitary Commissioner was held by Captain T. C. McCombie
Young, I.M.S., throughout the year.
2. Vaccination agencies.—Vaccination was performed by 330 departmental
vaccinators. In tea estates vaccination was performed by the garden medical
officers. On railways the vaccination work was performed by the railway medical staff,
and in jails by the Sub-Assistant Surgeons in medical charge.
Of 330 departmental vaccinators, 237 were paid vaccinators, and 93 were licensed
vaccinators. The average number of persons vaccinated by each vaccinator was 964,
against 877 of the previous year. The number of persons vaccinated by each paid
vaccinator and licensed vaccinator was 1,114 and 580, respectively.
3. Total number of operations.—The total number of operations performed by all
agencies during the year amounted to 333,363 compared with 305,845 in 1911-12,
showing an increase of 27,518 operations. Of the total number of operations perform-
ed, 298,983 were primary vaccinations and 34,380 re-vaccinations, against 290,915
and 14,930, respectively, in 1911-12.
The total for the year consists of :—
318,046 by departmental vaccinators,
1,590 by the staff of dispensaries,
12,504 by tea-garden medical staff,
69 by railway medical staff, and
1,154 by the jail medical staff.
4. Deaths from small-pox.—The total number of deaths from small-pox during
the year was 4,716 or .67 per mile of population against .35 of the previous year. The
highest death-rate was recorded in Kamrup 1.89, followed by Sylhet. with .99, and.
Nowgong with .95.
The Civil Surgeon, Kamrup, remarks, " an increased prevalence of small-pox
occurred in the early months of the hot weather, which was surprising in view of the
activity in vaccination work of late years."
The disease was unduly prevalent in Sylhet town and in certain rural areas
Steps were taken to check the spread of the disease by carrying on vaccination in
infected villages. Extra vaccinators were entertained when necessary. This resulted
in an increase of 28,522 operations during the year.
The diagram, showing death-rates from small-pox and the protection afforded by
successful vaccination, is attached.
5. Dispensary vaccination.—The number of operations performed by the staff of
dispensaries during the year was 1,590, of which 1,036 were primary vaccinations and
554 re-vaccinations, against 1,678 vaccinations with 1,464 primary and 214 re-vaccin-
ations of the previous year.
Dispensary vaccination work is now carried on in hill districts only.
6. The percentage of successful operations.—The percentage of success of opera-
tions performed by all establishments combined was 97.91 in the case of primary vac-
cinations and 73.99 in that of re-vaccination, against 98.14 and 80.98, respectively, of
the previous year.
The successful percentages in primary vaccinations and re-vaccinations in the case
of vaccinators were 97.92 and 73.01, respectively, against 98.19 and 80.28, respective-
ly, of the previous year ; in the case of the dispensary staff 96.20 and 75.41, respect-
ively, against 97.54 and 94 87, respectively, of the previous year, and in the case of
other agencies 97.46 and 84.49, respectively, against 97.28 and 83.33, respectively, of
the previous year.
The total number of persons successfully vaccinated during the year was 44.57
per mille of populations, against 41.85 of the year 1911-12.
7. Different methods of vaccination.—As in previous years, all vaccination oper-
ations were performed with glycerinated lymph manufactured by the Vaccine Depôt
at Shillong.