5
The inspection of vaccination continues to be unsatisfactory. It is
however, consolatory to remember that proposals for the creation of a Public
Health Service—the members of which will inspect vaccination also—have
made much progress during the year.
10. Supply of Vaccine.—The vaccine was supplied from the Vaccine
Depôt at Namkum throughout the year.
3,504,589 doses of vaccine were manufactured during 1919-20 as compared
with 2,156,720 in 1918-19 and 3,778,318 in 1917-18. The number of doses
issued has gradually increased from 2,250,072 in 1917-18 to 2,333,233 in 1918-19
and 2,599,744 in 1919-20. The number of doses in stock at the end of 1920
was 3,311,178.
The number of doses yielded per calf was 5,821.57 in 1919-20 as compared
with 4264.45 in 1917-18 and 5405.31 in 1918-19 and cost per dose manufac-
tured in 1919-20 was 1.3 pies against 1.1 in 1917-18 and 2.6 in 1918-19.
The working cost of the Depôt for the year was Rs. 25,048 against
Rs. 29,685 of the last year and the total revenue from it rose from 15,962 in the
previous year to Rs. 26,643 in 1919-20. It is satisfactory to note that during the
year there was only one mild outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease among
calves with three deaths in December 1919, while in the previous year there
were two outbreaks of the disease causing 120 attacks and 23 deaths.
11. Experimental Work.—During the year a series of experiments to find
out a suitable and cheap substitute for glycerine, which was costly and
difficult to procure, were conducted.
Olive oil, almond oil, castor oil and chloral hydrate were used as diluents
and preservatives for the vaccine.
The results from the castor oil and the chloral hydrate were negative.
But those with olive and almond oils gave satisfactory results in 1 in 3
strengths but they could not stand further dilutions, as the vesicles after
vaccination with higher dilution did not develop satisfactorily.
The experiments started last year to find out the potency of crude pulp
under different conditions of heat and moisture were continued during the
year but they did not give satisfactory result.
As it was found that vaccine issued in capillary tubes decreases in potency
owing to its exposure to heat when being sealed over the spirit flame, a set of
experiments were conducted to find out a suitable method of sealing the tubes
without exposure to flame. Dipping of the tubes in melted sealing wax, paraffin
and candle wax was tried, of these the sealing wax gave the best and satisfac-
tory results. The capillary tubes are now being sealed in this method without
the vaccine being exposed to any heat in the course of sealing.
12. Cost of the Department.—The cost of the Department (excluding the
Vaccine Depôt) during the year was Rs. 1,15,731 against Rs. 1,10,479 of the
previous year. The increase was due to war and grain allowances being paid
to the staff during the year.
The cost per successful operation was Re. 0-1-10, the same as last year.
13. General.—During the year the subordinate inspecting staff was trained
in vaccination work, elementary hygiene and in the management and control
of the epidemic diseases with a view to make them more efficient in their work
and also to utilise their services during the non-vaccination season in managing
epidemics of cholera and other diseases.
A class for training Sub-Inspectors of Vaccination in vaccination and
elementary hygiene has also been started at the Vaccine .Depôt, Namkum,
Ranchi. The course of study extends to a period of four months and begins in
November each year. Eleven men have taken the course and qualified them-
selves for employment in the Vaccination Department.