7
In the first year under report the work had just begun and many
difficulties were encountered. In 1915-16 the work and management were
reorganized and the output was greatly increased. In 1916-17 the output
required was not so great as a reserve stock had been established, and it was
found advisable to close the Depôt in May and June as the vaccine previously
made in these hot months had been deficient in quantity and defective in
quality. Unfortunately during this year there was a loss of 679,000 doses
owing to a failure of the cold storage plant and it was only by working at very
full pressure during the cold weather that the reserve stock could be maintain-
ed. The defect in the quality of the vaccine was first reported when it was
issued at the beginning of the working season and before the vaccine could be
tested a considerable number of doses had issued and resulted in a large number
of " failed " operations at the beginning of the season.
All vaccine is now tested both at the time of manufacture and at the time
of issue and as a precautionary measure the dilution with glycerine has been
decreased from 1 in 6 to 1 in 5. This decrease in dilution combined with the
increased cost of all stores and materials owing to the war has prevented
a much greater diminution in the cost of production. Nevertheless in spite of
these disadvantageous circumstances the working costs of this Depôt are now
very low as compared with any other Depôt in India and the vaccine now
issued is giving very satisfactory results.
During the last year under report arrangements have been made to issue
lanolinated vaccine to the Orissa Feudatory States at the request of the Politi-
cal Agent. The dilution is less and the cost to the Depôt is greater but it
appears to stand long journeys better and gives general satisfaction.
Epidemics of foot and mouth disease have stopped the work of the Depôt
four times in the three years, but the loss of time has been made up and the
output of vaccine has been ample. The chief loss through these epidemics
arises from the loss of calves and of vaccine in the making as the sick calves
have to be discarded.
This loss, together with the loss of calves from accidents and other causes,
greatly diminishes the apparent output per calf which has really been greatly
increased by improved feeding and technique and is actually over 3,000 doses
per calf kept and used.
The system of direct fortnightly issues to vaccinators has been continued.
The cost to the Depôt is greater as the number of postal packages is large but the
results are good. There is no loss of time or of the freshness of the vaccine and
there is really a saving owing to the packages being posted only once instead of
issuing to Civil Surgeons and being reposted by them.
The staff of the Depôt has worked well during the last year and special
credit is due to Dr. T. Sebastian and Dr. C. N. Banarji for their good work.
12. Experimental work.—During the last two years a large number
of experiments has been carried out at the Depôt with a view to determining
the best dilutions and the best medium for vaccine preparations. The experi-
ments have not yet been completed but they show that no vaccine will stand
a high temperature for more than a week and that glycerine vaccine is the most
stable preparation so far dealt with. Lanoline paste gets bad very quickly
unless protected by the inclusion of some glycerine and the great difficulty at
present is to get really neutral lanoline or glycerine for use as a medium.
Either substance if even slightly acid renders the vaccine inert very rapidly
and owing to the war it is almost impossible to get pure lanoline and very
difficult to get good glycerine.
Experiments have also been made with a view to increasing the output per
calf and have resulted in almost doubling the amount of vaccine obtained from
each calf actually used.
Further experiments are being carried out in the packing and manufacture
of the vaccine with a view to getting a product which will remain potent longer
than ten days when issued and which will be easier to pack and handle than the