3
Special Staff.
Statement No. I and
its appendix.
6. The strength of the Special Vaccination Staff, which comprises two
Superintendents of Vaccination, and 20 Vaccinators, remained unaltered
throughout the year. This staff performed 52,966 vaccinations as compared
with 86,036 in the previous year. The number of primary vaccinations shows
a decrease of 446 as compared with the previous year, the figures being 16,617
in 1927-28 as compared with 17,063 in the previous year, but the number of
revaccinations fell from 68,973 in the year 1926 27 to 36,349 in the year under
report. The small decrease in the number of primary vaccinations calls for no
explanation; the decrease in he number of revaccinations is attributed, partly
to the relative absence of small-pox during the greater part of the year, and,
partly to the fact that the inhabitants of the Hill States, where these vacci¬
nators are mainly employed, still evade vaccination in the absence of an
epidemic of small-pox. Much time is lost in persuading the people to submit
to vaccination and the State Authorities do not always welcome the arrival of
the vaccinators or afford them facilities in the way of transport. Steps
have been taken to overcome these difficulties, but it is for consideration
whether the time has not arrived when these States should arrange to have
their own subjects trained in vaccination and assume responsibility for
vaccination in their respective areas.
Cantonment Staff.
Statement No. I and
its appendix.
7. In Cantonments that employ their own vaccinators 7,229 vaccina¬
tions (4,356 primary and 2,873 revaccinations) were performed during the year
under review, as compared with 8,439 (4,049 primary and 4,390 revaccina-
tions) in the preceding year. The largest number of operations was per-
formed in the cantonments of Rawalpindi, (1,519) ; Ambala, (1,358) ; and
Ferozepore, (827). The inspection of vaccination in Cantonments is now
undertaken by the Cantonment authorities.
Dispensary Staff.
8. During the year under report 3,605 persons were vaccinated by
medical officers in charge of dispensaries. Of these 1,989 were primary and
1,616 were revaccinations, the figures for the last year being 1,752 and 1,222,
respectively. The dispensary system of vaccination in districts has on the whole
proved a failure, but it is reported that in the Hissar district this system was
successfully employed in the Small Towns of Mandi Dabwali, Budhlada and
Fatehabad during the year under report. This system was also employed in the
towns of Pathankot, Dinanagar, Dera Nanak, Fatehgarh, Dhariwal (Gurdaspur
District) Firozpur-Jhirka, Sohna, (Gurgaon District) Bhakkar, Isakhel, Kala¬
bagh, (Mianwali) and Garh Maharaja (Jhang District). Vaccination was
also performed in the towns of Ferozepore district by Sub-Assistant
Surgeons in charge of dispensaries, but it would seem that their duties
are so onerous that they are unable to devote sufficient time to vaccinate
a few hundred children and to compile the registers. Again, in the
municipal town of Pindigheb (Attock District) only 6 primary vacci-
nations were performed by the Assistant Surgeon in charge of the dispen-
sary. In the Lyallpur district, the dispensary system of vaccination is in vogue
in the town of Toba Tek Singh but the Medical Officer is reported to be
unable to spare sufficient time for the work. The Vaccination Act has
recently been extended to this town and the committee would be well advised
to engage a whole-time vaccinator. In Khanewal and Mian Channu towns.
(Multan District) dispensers attached to the local dispensaries have acted as
part-time vaccinators but the dispenser of the former town has not been
trained in vaccination, and in both towns a whole-time vaccinator might well
be employed. These illustrations clearly show that the time has not yet come
when the medical officer in charge of the local dispensaries can be entrusted
with the duties of a public vaccinator and it is consequently necessary that
this duty should be carried out by a staff of vaccinators working under
the direct orders of the District Medical Officer of Health.
Vaccination
amongst
railway
employees.
9. During the year under report the railway medical staff performed
581 primary vaccinations and 2,726 revaccinations as compared with 310
primary vaccinations and 848 revaccinations last year.
Success of vaccina¬
tion.—Statement
No. I.
10. The success-rate attained in primary vaccination carried out by all
establishments during the year was 97.85 per cent. as compared with 97.79 per
cent. in the previous year, whilst in the case of revaccinations the figures