7
prepared from 126 calves at a cost of Rs. 92-4-0 in addition Re. I was paid to
the owner of each calf. In Akola 68 calves were successfully vaccinated.
Buffalo calves are more satisfactory than cow calves, as they yield about
twice as much lymph, 50 grammes of crude lymph on an average, being obtainable
from each calf.
Most of the districts now prepare their lymph at headquarters, and
there can be no question that this is the best arrangement, a close supervision
can be maintained over the manufacture of the lymph, the district staff are kept
in touch with headquarters and each vaccination result can be closely watched
and checked by comparison, by relieving Vaccinators of the necessity of obtaining
calves, it removes a frequent source of abuse and discontent in the interior of the
district, it also lessens the temptation to perform arm-to-arm work and by the
saving of time effected, it allows the Vaccinator to extend the scope of his
operations.
A provincial depôt has its drawbacks, among these are those of centralisa-
tion, difficulty in obtaining the large number of calves required, and cost;
the depôt of Patwa Dangar in the United Provinces costs Rs. 10,000 per annum,
and charges local bodies, &c , for the lymph supplied.
The Civil Surgeons of Chhindwara and Hoshangabad complain of the
difficulty in obtaining calves for the headquarters' depôt. In Berar there is
never any difficulty and my experience of vaccination in seven districts of the
Province is that only occasionally an owner objects to lending a very young calf
on account of the interference with his milk supply, on such occasions the
Tahsil peon is often to blame, and if a small reward is given and concessions
made there is no real opposition.
The Civil Surgeon, Wardha, (in an excellent report) mentions that he has
arranged to purchase a mechanical " mixer" and " filling" machine, so that the
vaccine may be sent out in capillary tubes. It would be well for all the larger
districts to obtain one of these machines, one of the best is that designed by
Major J. Entrican, I M. S., Burma.
The cost incurred in the preparation of lymph was Rs. 1,878-2-2, against
Rs. 498 in 1909-10 and Rs. 1,065 in 1908-09. This increase in the expenditure
is owing 10 this inclusion of certain charges carried over from the previous
year, and to lymph depôt construction.
Kind of lymph used and the
success obtained therefrom.
20. In 1908-09, a few operations were performed with lanolinated lymph
and fresh calf lymph, but during the past two seasons
nothing but glycerinated calf lymph has been used, the
success obtained therefrom being 96.01 per cent against
94.25 per cent in 1909-10.
There is apparently no necessity for the sterilization of the lymph by the
chloroform process, and in the German depôts, a 10 days contact with the
glycerine admixture is relied upon as sufficient to kill off all extraneous micro-
organisms.
Vaccination in Municipal
Towns and the Vaccination
Act.
(Appendix A).
21. There were 35,887 births in Municipal Towns during the year and
deaths among children under one year of age numbered
10,641. The total number of children under one year of
age successfully vaccinated in these towns was 22,531.
In many of the towns plague retarded vaccination work, but in certain
others work has not been at all satisfactory during the past year. Many children
were left unprotected in the towns of Saugor, Damoh, Murwara and Mandla,
not only closer supervision but strict application of rules is very necessary. The
Civil Surgeon, Nagpur, comments very unfavourably on the work in Khapa,
Saoner and Ramtek and it is recommended that the Act be extended to these
towns.