NOTES ON VACCINATION IN THE CENTRAL
PROVINCES AND BERAR FOR THE
SEASON 1917-18.
Administration.
The Department was administered by Surgeon-General Robinson, C.B.,
I.M.S., throughout the year, except for a few days
in March, when Lieutenant-Colonel Bensley, I.M.S.,
was in temporary charge.
Staff employed.
2. The number of Assistant Superintendents of Vaccination remained the
same as in the previous year, but the staff of Vaccinators
was increased by 4—one each in the districts of Nimar,
Drug, Akola and Buldana.
Total vaccination operations
performed in the Province.
Statement I.
3. It is satisfactory to note that in spite of the epidemic of plague, which
prevailed more or less throughout the season in many
districts, the total number of vaccinations performed,
both primary and re-vaccinations, increased from 552,150
in 1916-17 to 604,806 in 1917-18. The only districts that performed a fewer
number of operations than in the previous year were Chhindwara, which shows
a total decrease of 3,641, Raipur 2,796, Bhandara 480, Mandla 62, Akola 16 and
Hoshangabad 13. In Chhindwara, re-vaccinations decreased by 4,041 whereas
primary operations increased by 400. This great decrease in re-vaccination
is perhaps due to the prevention of the practice of vaccinating mothers every
time they bring a child for vaccination. In Raipur, the Civil Surgeon ascribes
the decrease to the prevalence of Malarial fevers by which not only did the
people suffer but also the staff of whom as many as eight were laid up for some
time and also to the prevalence of scabies. In Bhandara, the fall is more
apparent than real, for a large number of villages—about 172—were transferred
from this district to Balaghat. If the vaccinations performed in these villages
in the previous year are omitted, the number performed in 1917-18 would show
an increase rather than a decrease. In Mandla, the decrease is attributed to
sickness among some of the staff, scarcity and the unusual prevalence of skin
diseases in some parts of the district. In Akola, plague is said to account for the
slight decrease, but no reasons have been given for the fall in Hoshangabad.
Vaccination by the special
staff.
4. The vaccination staff performed 604,460 operations of which 518,678
were primary and 85,782 were re-vaccinations. Com-
pared with 1916-17, primary vaccinations show an
increase of 34,293, but I am not satisfied with this increase. A very large propor-
tion of children remain unvaccinated in many districts, a striking example of
which will be found in Nagpur, where the Civil Surgeon, Colonel Buchanan, drew
up an interesting review of the progress of vaccination for the past 10 years.
This review brings out clearly that during the last five years, a large number of
infants have escaped vaccination, not only in the district but also in Nagpur city.
The present outbreak of small-pox in the Berar Districts also shows that vaccina-
tion work in these districts has not been satisfactory of late years.
I hope Civil Surgeons will adopt definite measures to have as many
unprotected children as possible vaccinated, in communication with the local
authorities. If the work is retarded by plague or other similar causes, the
staff may conveniently be detailed to complete their work in other months.
Some Civil Surgeons complain of the inadequacy of the staff and some say
that the vaccinators in their districts are useless, but these are excuses. I see
from the returns before me that many vaccinators did not perform even the
minimum number of operations prescribed and very few did over 3,000. If the
staff is stimulated, I am sure that they would be able to do more than what they
do at present. Useless men should be weeded out. Now that their pay and
prospects have considerably improved, there is no use in retaining old and
useless men.
The increase in re-vaccinations (+ 19,240) is mainly due to the vaccination
of troops in Saugor and Jubbulpore Districts.