5
There was an increase in the total number of persons vaccinated in all the
States excepting Kapurthala and Nabha. The percentage of success in
primary cases was 98.70 in Patiala, 98.24 in Bahawalpur, 97.50 in Kapur-
thala, 97.77 in Jind and 88.95 in Nabha. In Patiala, Bahawalpur and
Kapurthala the percentage of successful re-vaccination was 76.41, 86.06 and
74.73, respectively. The statements for Faridkot State were not received.
Vaccination
in
Municipal towns.
Appendix A.
19. The total number of births registered in municipal towns during
1919-20 was 79,818. Out of this number 17 165 children under one year are
reported to have died, so that the number of infants available for vaccination
amounted to 62,653 of which 48,090 or 77 per cent. were successfully
vaccinated as against 92 per cent. in 1918-19-and 80 per cent. in 1917-18.
The total number of children available for vaccination in the towns in
which the Vaccination Act is in force during the triennium was 131,551, of
which 88 per cent. were successfully vaccinated as against 82 per cent. in
the preceding period. The annual figures are—
1919-20
1918-19
1917-18
...
...
...
...
...
...
80 per cent.
100
„
85 „
The percentage of successful vaccination to the total number of
available children in towns in which vaccination is not compulsory works
out to 63 during the year 1919-20 compared with 68 in 1918-19 and 64
in 1917-18.
The extension of the Vaccination Act to the 14 towns, namely, Shahabad,
Hoshiarpur, Bunga, Rae Kot, Moga, Giddarbaha, Abohar, Jalalabad, Bucho,
Guruharsahai, Pattoki Mandi, Pasrur Mian Channu and Kot Adu during the
year 1919-20 raised the number of compulsory areas from 75 to 89, but as in
the towns of Giddarbaha, Abohar, Jalalabad, Bucho, Guruharsahai (Ferozepore
District) and Mian Channu (Multan District) the provisions of section
52 (2) (i) of the Punjab Municipal Act either have not yet been extended to,
or no arrangements have been made for, the separate registration of vital
statistics it was not possible to give the figures required in Appendix A for
these towns the names of which have been excluded from the Appendix.
I would suggest that as soon as the provisions of the Vaccination Act are
extended to any town in the Province the provisions of section 52 (2 (i) of
the Municipal Act should at the same time be extended to save delay and
inconvenience in the preparation of the vital statistical returns of such
areas.
It has been reported that the provisions of the Vaccination Act
are not rigidly enforced in the compulsory areas. Notices are issued to
the offenders who are then let off with a warning by the court with the
result that many children remain unprotected against small-pox.
In
the Rohtak District the practice was to prefer complaints against parents
refusing vaccination before the Deputy Commissioner who made them over to
the local honorary magistrates for disposal. This was a lengthy process with
the result that by the time the case came up before the trying magistrate the
vaccination season was over and the offenders were directed as in other towns
to have their children vaccinated the following year. It is gratifying to note
that the Deputy Commissioner of Rohtak has now authorised honorary magis-
trates to take up complaints direct from the vaccination staff and to deal with
them while vaccination is in progress so that the defaulting parents may be
compelled to have their children vaccinated as soon as the court passes orders
in their case.
In Rawalpindi City one defaulter was fined Rs. 2 for refusing to have
his child vaccinated while in the rural areas of Rawalpindi District much
assistance was given by the Deputy Commissioner and his superior revenue
staff in the cause of vaccination In most districts illaqadars, lambardars,
etc., failed to render proper help in the cause of vaccination.
Diagram.
20. A diagram showing the death rate from small pox per 10,000 of
population during 1919-20, the average rate of mortality from small-pox for the
five years ending 1918-19, the proportion of successful vaccinations in 1919-20
and for the preceding six years in each district of the Punjab is attached to
the report.