Annual Reports.—
Triennial Report on Vaccination in
the Bombay Presidency for the
years 1908-09, 1909-10 and 1910-11.
General Department.
Bombay Castle,
No. 6165
18th October 1911.
Letter from the Sanitary Commissioner for the Government of Bombay, No. 3572,
dated 15th September 1911 —
Submitting the triennial report on vaccination in the Bombay Presidency for the
years 1908-09, 1909-10 and 1910-11.
RESOLUTION.—Although there was a slight yearly decrease in the number of
persons primarily vaccinated in each year of this triennial period, a comparison of
the average yearly vaccinations in this and in the two preceding triennial periods
shows a definite progressive improvement.
The average rose from 564,763 in
1902—05 to 599,230 in 1905—08 and to 666,497 in 1908—11. The average in
municipal areas rose from 59,431 in 1902—05 to 90,806 in 1908—11. The figures
are specially satisfactory when allowance is made for the decrease of population in
some parts of the Presidency due to plague epidemics and other calamities. At
the same time the percentage of successful operations out of the total number of
" known " cases, which naturally fell when the use of preserved lymph was still in
an experimental stage, has now risen to the level attained prior to the introduction
of the new method. The percentage was 98.77 in 1902—05, 96.80 in 1905 —08,
and 97.25 in 1908 —11, while the percentage for the year 1910-11 was 98.76.
2. The period under report was marked by the perfection of glycerinated
lymph and its introduction into all British districts and many Native States. The
use of this lymph is free from some of the objectionable features which contributed
to make vaccination by human or animal lymph unpopular. His Excellency the
Governor in Council notes with satisfaction the success of the new method, and
the evidence afforded of the general progress of vaccination during the last decade.
3. The extended use of glycerinated lymph has been rendered possible by
the establishment of the Vaccine Institute at Belgaum. The new buildings of the
institute were occupied in August 1910. The distribution of vaccine, which had
reached 544,408 doses in 1907-08, has exceeded 600,000 doses in each of the past
three years; while the percentage of cases in which it was used successfully has
risen during the same period from 95.61 to 99.02 per cent. in primary vaccination.
It may reasonably be expected that the quality of the lymph prepared will be still
further improved when the installation of cold storage enables a year's supply of
lymph to be manufactured at the season most favourable for its production. The
absence of adequate cold storage is also the only obstacle to the general introduc-
tion of glycerinated lymph in Sind.
4. The cost of the Vaccine Institute in the year 1910-11 was Rs. 22,860-5-0,
and the total expenditure on vaccination in the same year was Rs. 3,56,870-6-10.
The average yearly expenditure in the triennial period was Rs. 3,44,071 against
Rs. 3,07,122 in the years 1905—08. The average cost for each successful opera-
tion was Re. 0-9-3 in 1910-11.
L. ROBERTSON,
Secretary to Government.
10
The Sanitary Commissioner for the Government of Bombay,
The Surgeon General with the Government of Bombay,
The Commissioner in Sind,
The Commissioner, N. D.,
The Commissioner, C. D.,
The Commissioner, S. D.,
with copies of
the report.
[P. T. O.
Genl 1027