2
10. Verification by the inspecting staff.—The Civil Surgeons and the Subdivisional
Assistant Surgeons on their behalf inspected 13,468 primary operations and 5,089 re-
vaccinations or 4.45 and 5.73 per cent. respectively of the total vaccinations made
during the year. Three thousand and sixty primary and 367 re-vaccinations were
inspected by the Deputy Sanitary Commissioner, the inspections by these two agencies
being 5.46 per cent. and 6.10 respectively of the total primary and re-vaccinations done.
The Sanitary Commissioner inspected 2,041 primary and 939 re-vaccinations. The
Civil Surgeons of Cachar, Nowgong and Lakhimpur inspected the largest proportions
of primary vaccinations done in their districts the percentages inspected being 14.67,
8.70 and 8 48 respectively. The largest totals inspected were 4,707 primary and 3,937
re-vaccinations by the Civil Surgeon, Sylhet.
The Subordinate Inspecting Staff
inspected 46.24 per cent. of primary operations and 44.48 per cent. of re-vaccinations
as compared with 51.35 and 39.25 respectively in the previous year. In the Khasi
and Jaintia Hills district 88.20 per cent. of primary and 76.24 per cent. of re-vaccina-
tions were inspected, this being the largest rate for the province. In the Garo Hills
only 8.65 per cent. of primary and 29.55 per cent. of re-vaccinations were inspected.
Inspection was poor in Goalpara district, the figures being 14.88 per cent. and 19 72
per cent. this low rate being due to changes in the staff.
11. Vaccination in Compulsory areas.—Out of an estimated number of 3,548
infants available for vaccination in the areas in which the Compulsory Vaccination
Act is in force 1,786 or 50.33 per cent. were successfully vaccinated as compared with
58.78 per cent. in the previous year.
A detailed examination of the registers in Municipalities and Unions where vacci-
nation is compulsory showed that very few children who had attained the full age of
one year had escaped vaccination, but as vaccination is not compulsory until one year
is completed a large number of the children born during the year carry over to the
vaccination season of the following year. Of children born during the year and avail-
able for vaccination 79.3 per cent. were successfully vaccinated in Nowgong, 77 per
cent. in Tezpur and 70.7 per cent. in Silchar. The lowest rates were in the town
of Sylhet (14.6), Sunamganj (19.8), Karimganj (27.5) and Barpeta (26.1).
12. Vaccine Depôt.—The total number of capillary tubes loaded for issue during
the year was 6,41,678, against 7,99,297 in 1919-20, showing a decrease of 1,57,619,
although the decrease in operations was only 22,930. This probably indicates better
distribution and less waste of vaccine lymph.
The total cost of working of the Vaccine Depôt during the year was Rs. 12,474-
4-6 as against Rs. 15,093-8-5 in the preceding year. There was a reduction in the cost
of capillary tubes obtained from England of Rs. 2,139-1-8 owing to a favourable rate
of exchange. The cost and upkeep of calves was reduced by Rs. 970-15-9 owing to the
smaller number under operation, 84 fewer being purchased than in the previous year.
Six hundred and eighteen calves were inoculated in 1920-21 and lymph was taken from
522 only. Failure of operation accounted for 35 rejections, illness for 18 and ulcera-
tion and unsatisfactory vesicles for 42. One calf died. The greater part of the lymph
used was from 144-hour vesicles the inoculation of calves being made by puncture.
A few of calves were inoculated by linear incision and the lymph collected at 120
hours. The linear incisions gave a slightly greater outturn of lymph but the earlier
collection resulted in a diminution of the average amount obtained from each calf by
27 per cent. Reports on 1,086 vaccinations done with 120-hour lymph show a
percentage success of 96.2 as compared with 94.93 for the total vaccinations during
the year.
13. Cost of the Department —The total cost of the department amounted to
Rs. 78,973-15-2 during the year 1920-21, as compared with Rs. 71,167-8-9 in 1919-20.
There was an increase of Rs. 3,595-8-7 in the cost of subordinate supervising staff due
to revision of rates of pay and the appointment of an additional Sub-Inspector. The
increase in cost of vaccinators was Rs. 6,436-7-3 due to the employment of 21 addition-
al vaccinators and to revision of their pay. The contingencies of the Vaccine Dep6t
were reduced by Rs. 3,104-7-7 as compared with in 1919-20.
The cost of each successful vaccination was annas 3 and pies 8 as compared with
annas 3 and pies 3 in 1919-20, the increase being mainly due to the additional cost of
vaccinating staff.
14. General.—Twelve thousand three hundred fourty-six vaccinations are reported
to have been done in tea gardens by Garden Medical Officers as compared with 18,096
in 1919-20. The percentage of success in primary vaccination was 96.67. The number
reported from Jails, Lunatic Asylum, Police hospitals and Cholera hospitals was 4,687
as against 5,152 in the previous year.
J. TAYLOR, Major, I.M.S.,
Offg. Sanitary Commissioner, Assam.