APPENDIX C
Annual Report of the Punjab Vaccine Institute, for the year 1925-26, by
Khan Bahadur Dr. Abdur Rahman, D P.H, Director, Punjab Vaccine
Institute.
DURING (be latter part of the financial year 1925-26 sanction was accorded to the
erection of the following : —
At Lahore, a set of buildings consisting of 4 stables, 4 calfmen's quarters and 2 godowns
and at Murree a two storied building consisting of a sterilizing room, a wash room, an op-
eration room with two godowns on the ground floor and three married quarters on the first
floor. Work was commenced at both places in February. Considerable progress was made with
the bailings at Lahore by the 31st March but, due to very unsettled weather, it was not possible
to do much at Murree.
It will now be possible to keep all newly purchased cattle under observation in the
stables under erection before admitting them to the pre-operation calf-stables. They will
also be very useful in the event of an outbreak of any infectious diseape among new arrivals
as adequate steps can be taken to control it without any interference with daily routine work
During the last winter Rinderpest occurred in the pre-operation calf-stables which
were the only stables available for calve6 and considerable difficulty was then experienced in
maintaining an adequate stock of vaccine lymph.
At present a small portion of a verandah is for use as a calf-operation room at
Murree. This is very cramped and operations are done under difficulties. As soon as the
new building is ready we shall have a fair sized and bright operation room also a good
sterilizing room in place of the outhouse accommodation in which sterilizing was done
up till now. In spite of various improvements to the snow-pit, it has not been so far possible
to prevent excessive wastage from melting. It will probably not last beyond August or at
most the middle of September this year. It has now been decided to give an inner steining
to the snow-pit and to till the space between the steining and pit-wall with tightly rammed
broken charcoal to act as a non-conductor.
Cairo*.
In Lahore, as hitherto, calves are obtained on hire at Rs. 5 per calf and returned to the
contractor after use. At Murree calves are purchased outright. Lymph is taken and when
the abdomen has healed they are sold to local villagers.
Preparation of
Tacrine lymph.
Vaccine lymph was prepared according to the Java method, i.e., the three vaccinifers
method. Buffalo calves, rabbits and cow calves were used.
Despatch of
vaccine.
There was no change in the methods of despatch, vaccine lymph was sent out in small
glass tubes of 1 gramme capacity well wrapped in cotton and securely packed in small
wooden boxes.
Cost of calves.
The average cost price per calf was Rs. 6 and the daily cost for food per calf was
the same as last year, i.e., annas 4 per calf per day. In the matter of feeding and grooming
of the calves as well as general cleanliness of stables all care and attention has been given as
heretofore.
Output of Tacrine,
147 buffalo calves, 13 cow calve- ana 11 rabbits were used as vaccinifers during
the year—Of these 129 buffalo calves, 12 cow calves and 11 rabbits were successfully
vaccinated. There is a steady increase in the average yield of pulp per animal successfully
vaccinated.
The average yield per buffalo calf ... ...
„ „ „ cow
„ ... ... ...
„
„
„
rabbit ... ... ...
94.6 gramme.
21.5
„
0.737 „
1,216 tubes or vaccine lymph remained over from last year.
67,970
„
„
„
were prepared during the year.
The number of vaccine lymph tubes issued during the year was 56,066, equivalent to
3,644,290 doses, as compared with 43,035 tubes or 2,797,275 doses issued during the year
1924-25. 8,120 tubes remained over on the 31st March 1926. A detail of the distribution
of these £6,066 tubes is given in statament No. I.
Net profit to
Government.
The net profit to Government from the sale-proceeds of vaccine lymph during the
year under review was Rs. 21,904-2-9, which is Rs. 12,835-10- 3 in excess of that of last year.
This is due to 18,031 lymyh tubes having been issued from the Vaccine Institute over and
above last year's issue. This is a Government concern which pays its way and for such a
useful Institute further money may well be given to carry out improvement in buildings and
control. The following proposals are under consideration : —
(a) regarding the entertainment of an additional assistant for this office, vide my
letter No. 506-R., dated 3rd June 1926,