4
always be aimed at. The success in revaccinations, recorded by vaccinators
and the inspecting officers, varies considerably. This is due to the time that has
lapsed between the operation and inspection as the marks from revaccination
gradually become faint.
Preparation and supply of
lymph
14. As the special buildings for locating the Central Vaccine Depôt were
not ready, lymph could not be prepared on a large scale
for supply to the whole province. Only 7 districts —5 in
the Nagpur Division and Jubbulpore and Nimar—were
supplied from the institution.
Two hundred and fifty-six calves were vaccinated during the triennial period :
9 proved unsuccessful. The remaining 247 yielded 8,608.6 grammes of pulp>
sufficient for 731,120 doses of the vaccine. Of this, 585,960 doses were supplied
to the vaccination staff and 6,320 in casual supplies. The total expenditure was
Rs. 33,388-4-5, of which Rs. 13,451-13-7 was spent on salaries of the establish-
ment and the remainder on contingencies, the average cost of preparation being
Re. 0-0-7 per dose. The calves were purchased at Rs. 8 or Rs. 9 each and sold
alter operation for Rs. 6 and Rs. 7.
15. Some Civil Surgeons complain of insufficient supply of lymph from the
depôt, but this is mainly due to the non-return in time of the empty phials, etc.,
by the vaccinators. I agree with the Civil Surgeon, Jubbulpore, who in this
connection writes. " The practice of temporarily withholding the supply from any
vaccinator, who fails to return the empty phials promptly, works most unsatisfac-
torily. Frequently the vaccinator is at a distance, and the parcel of empty phials
has to be sent by hand from village to village, or it is delayed in the village post
office. Withholding the supply not only gives the vaccinator a holiday and
interferes with his programme, but punishes the public by reducing the total
number protected." The Superintendent, Central Vaccine Depôt, will be
instructed to relax the practice, but it would be well if Civil Surgeons also
were to issue stringent orders to their vaccinators to return, as soon as possible,
the empties they have with them, as the non-receipt of these articles hampers
work at the institution ; it is not possible to have a very large stock of spare
phials, etc , at present.
16. Another point worth mentioning is that vaccinators waste much of the
lymph supplied to them. In Bhandara, 47,480 doses were supplied in 1916-17,
but as both the primary and revaccinations performed in the year in the district,
amount to 40,808 only, 6,672 doses seem to have been wasted. Similarly in
Wardha and Chanda, a large amount, more than 4,000 doses at each place, was left
unused. Civil Surgeons will therefore impress on their vaccinators to be careful in
the matter. I am aware that it is not possible to use up the whole quantity of
lymph supplied, but a little care and forethought will, I have no doubt, save much of
this wastage If a vaccinator is unable to use the quantities he receives as soon
as these reach him, he should order smaller supplies at shorter intervals, notifying
the depôt promptly.
17. The districts, other than the seven mentioned above, prepared their own
supply by obtaining calves locally. Five thousand nine hundred and thirty-five
calves were thus secured and vaccinated during the triennial period at a cost of
Rs. 6,640. This system will, in future cease, as the Central Depôt will soon
commence work in the new buildings, which are ready for occupation, and all the
districts will, commencing from the next vaccination season, receive lymph prepared
at that institution.
Iodine method of vaccination
18. The iodine method of arm sterilisation advocated by Major Waters,
I.M.S., seems to have been tried in the Saugor and
Hoshangabad districts with contradictory results. It
would be better if the system were given a more extended trial. If the iodine
is allowed to dry thoroughly, it works very well.
Vaccination in Municipal
towns and Vaccination Act.
APPENDIX A.
19. 123,801 births and 35,341 deaths among children under one year of
age were registered in Municipal towns and Notified
areas during the period under report. Of those remaining
alive, 91 per cent. in 1914-15, 93 in the following year.
and only 82 in 1916-17 were successfully vaccinated. The widespread prevalence