4
The inspecting work done by the Assistant Directors of Public Health
has been comprehensive and they have submitted valuable reports on the
efficiency of the staff and work in all the 21 districts in the province.
The Civil Surgeons of the province inspected 30,822 primary and 6,054
re-vaccination operations against 30,934 primary and 7,071 re-vaccinations
last year.
It should be noted that the methods of inspection of Civil Surgeons and
Assistant Directors of Public Health are different. Civil Surgeons inspected
the new work which has just been done and the numbers returned by them
are therefore smaller, whereas Assistant Directors of Public Health inspect
all the children under ten years of age, and look at old work as well as new
work, and also look for unvaccinated children and children who are marked
with small-pox, and they also examine vaccinators' registers and other records
in the villages where they can be verified and checked.
10. Supply of vaccine.—The Vaccine Depôt at Namkum supplied the
province with vaccine throughout the year. A large supply of vaccine is
held in reserve and the necessary stores and supplies for manufacture are in
ample stock. 2,994,149 doses of vaccine were manufactured during the year
as compared with 4,297,874 doses last year. The number of doses issued
was 2,870,661 against 3,238,632 in 1926-27. The number of doses in stock
at the end of the year was 5,815,361. The number of cattle used during the
year was 518 as compared with 707 in the previous year, and the average
yield of crude vaccine was over 59 grammes per animal. The working cost
of the depôt for the year amounted to Rs. 24,758 as compared with Rs. 25,686
in the previous year. The average cost of the vaccine per dose works out at
1.58 pies on the gross expenditure, and the sale proceeds of vaccine lymph
was Rs. 22,088.
11. Vaccine Depôt and Cold Storage.—During the year under report
there was no serious epidemic amongst the calves except a mild outbreak
of foot and mouth disease in the latter part of January 1928, but it did not
interfere with the work as the disease was easily stamped out by prompt
isolation and disinfection.
The total mortality amongst calves was low, being only 1.7 per cent.,
The cold storage and the machinery worked satisfactorily throughout
the year. A few parts to the Lightfoot Ammonia Compressor and the 16 B. H.
P. Oil engine were replaced with new ones.
Throughout the year cholera and influenza vaccines were stocked in the
depôt and issued throughout the province as required.
12. Experimental work.—All seed vaccine,was manufactured at the depôt
and worked satisfactorily. 6,883.7 grammes of seed vaccine were prepared.
The rejuvenation of the seed vaccine was maintained by passage through
children, buffallow-calves and cow-calves.
13. Cost of the department.—The total cost of the Vaccination Department
(excluding the Vaccine Depôt) during the year, as detailed in Statement II,
was Rs. 1,71,180 or Rs. 9,098 more than the previous year This increase is
due partly to the increase of pay earned by the Assistant Director of Public
Health, North Bihar Circle.
The cost per successful operation was two annas and three pies against
two annas and one pie in the previous year.
14. Personal.—In conclusion I desire to bring to the notice of Govern-
ment the good work done by Assistant Directors of Public Health—Major
S. L. Mitra, I.M.S., Dr. T. Sebastian and Dr. B. P. Mazumdar in the inspection
of vaccination in their respective circles.
Dr. T. Sebastian held charge of the Vaccine Depôt in addition to his other
duties throughout the year except for a brief period when he was on leave.
Dr. C. N. Banerji, the Superintendent of the Depôt, worked satisfactorily.
J. A. S. PHILLIPS, LIEUT.-COLONEL, .I.M.S.
Offg. Director of Public Health,
Bihar and Orissa.