xx
Thus 20 calves purchased by the Institute and fed until healed, would cost Rs. 213,
while only Rs. 40 would be recovered by their sale. Whereas 20 calves supplied by a contrac¬
tor on hire at Rs. 5 per calf cost Rs. 100. There is, therefore, a saving of Rs. 73 by the
contract system on each batch of 20 calves and as about. 110 calves are thus obtained, the
saving in a year is Rs. 401-8-0.
Production of
vaccine.
The Java method of vaccine production has been adhered to during the year. By
this method 3 vaccinifers are used, namely the buffalo calf, the cow calf and the rabbit. The
buffalo calf is vaccinated with cow lymph, the cow calf with rabbit lymph and the rabbit
with buffalo lymph. This rotation has resulted in a great increase in the yield of lymph
per calf and the consequent decrease in the number of calves vaccinated and a corresponding
decrease in the cost of calves and their maintenance as compared with the past. Glycerinated
vaccine lymph is prepared in this Institute and it has been found to give most satisfactory
results. The method of vaccine preparation is briefly as follows :—
Calves are vaccinated on the abdominal surface and 120 hours later the pulp is taken,
weighed and very thoroughly emulsified in a mortar with a small known quantity of 50
per cent. glycerine-distilled water mixture.
The emulsion is then passed through a
Chalybans lymph grinding machine and then poured into a lymph storing bottle of our own
design and the balance of the glycerine-water mixture added to make the prepared
vaccine of a strength of 1 in 5 (1 part of lymph to 4 parts of 50 per cent. glycerine-water
mixture.) The vaccine is then chloroformed for about half an hour and stored in an ice
chest. The following morning all trace of chloroform is removed by passing air through
the vaccine lymph which is then returned to the ice chest. All apparatus, towels, etc.,
used during the manufacture are sterilized before use.
Buffalo-calf lymph for use on rabbits and rabbit and cow lymph used for maintaining
the strain are not chloroformed.
All vaccine for issue is tested bactriologically on agar plates and "clinically" on
three or more children before issue, with the object of determining its purity and potency.
A second "clinical" test is applied on at least three primary cases after a vaccine has
been issued for the last time. This test is done to ascertain if a vaccine has maintained its
potency in full at the time of final issue from the Institute.
Despatch of
vaccine.
Vaccine is supplied in small glass tubes Each tube contains one gramme of vaccine
which is sufficient for about 50 primary and 80 re-vaccinations and lesser quantities than one
gramme are not issued as it has been found from experience that smaller quantities than a
gramme of vaccine in a tube do not withstand heat and exposure nearly as well as tubes con-
taining one gramme. It is for this reason that capillary tubes are not issued.
Vaccine is packed in wooden boxes between layers of cotton. In certain cases vaccine
is, at the request of the indenting officers, sent specially packed. This special packing consists
of placing each phial of vaccine in a small wooden tube. These wooden tubes are placed in a
wooden box in damp sawdust from the ice chest. All wooden boxes are wrapped in paper,
addressed and securely tied with string.
Vaccine lymph intended for places within British India is generally sent by unregis-
tered parcel post except to those localities which are situated at a considerable distance from
railways to which it is sent by unregistered letter post as is done in the case of the vaccine
lymph meant for despatch to places beyond the Indian Frontiers.
A small number of parcels are sent by V. P. P. Payments on account of vaccine
supplied are either by book transfer, cheque or cash. Settlements of account by book trans-
fer are preferred and is the usual mode of payment, but as all transactions cannot be settled
in this way, some of the bills are paid in cash. One grievance, the Institute has against
some indenting officers, is that the receipts of payments made into treasuries are not forwarded
to this office immediately after the payments are made. In certain cases the treasury
chalans have been received from 9 months to 1 year after payment into a treasury.
Circular letters have been sent to all concerned but in some cases there is still considerable
delay.
Cost and mainte-
nance of calves.
One hundred and twenty-nine calves were obtained during the year (of which 128 were
vaccinated and one remained over) for Rs. 782. The average cost price per calf is thus
Rs. 6-1-0.
The average daily cost of feeding is four annas per calf. Each calf receives ½ seer of
gram, ¼ seer of bran and about three seers of bhusa daily. A small quantity of salt is
added to the gram feed and green fodder is also given when it is obtainable.
Net profit to
Government.
The net profit from the sale-proceeds of vaccine lymph to Government during the
year under review is Rs. 9,068-7-9.
Output of vaccine.
During the year 103 buffalo calves, 14 cow calves and 11 rabbits were successfully
vaccinated and produced an average yield of :—
89.64
20.6
0.61
grammes of lymph pulp per buffalo calf.
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cow calf.
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rabbit.