6
The District Health Officer, Muzaffargarh, reports that investigations
made as to the origin of smallpox when it was reported from Kacha Hangla
Ichha, Ilaqa Rojhan, Dera Ghazi Khan district, during the last vaccination
season, by chance revealed that the practice of inoculation was in vogue in
Bahawalpur State, and that a professional class " Dhukars ", were responsible
for this. The matter was reported to the deputy commissioner for represen-
tation to the state authorities.
Diagram.
22. A diagram showing the death-rate from smallpox per 10,000 of
population during the year 1925-26, the average recorded death-rate from
smallpox for the five years ending 1924-25, the proportions of successful
vaccinations during the year 1925-26 and during the preceding six years
per 10,000 of population in each district of the province is attached
to the report.
Punjab
Vaccine
Institute.
23. A brief report by Khan Bahadur Dr. K. A. Rahman on the work
of the Punjab Vaccine Institute during the year 1925-26 is given in Appendix
C.
The number of one gramme tubes of vaccine lymph issued during the
year was 56,06 as compared with 43,035 in the previous year, an increase of
13,031 tubes.
The supply issued was equivalent to 3,644,290 doses.
In the last triennial Report I noted that the Java modification of my
system of lymph production, on which the Institute was founded, had been
adopted as standard and I am now in a position to give a final statement with
regard to this system.
Maximum potency on this cycle of alternation has now been attained
and the yield is exactly double that obtained by my cycle. This has resulted
in considerable saving as regards calves and their maintenance. The average
yield of crude lymph from a buffalo calf under the various systems employed
from time to time in the Province is as follows : —
66 grammes (Bamber)
8 grammes (Harvey)
47 grammes (Forster)
94 grammes (Java modification of Forster)
The contention that lymph produced by the Java cycle is more resistant
to temperature than my lymph has been found to be incorrect under Punjab
conditions. Both lymphs deteriorate with equal rapidity when exposed to
Punjab hot weather conditions.
As usual the Institute functioned with clock-work regularity and all
purchasers expressed themselves as satisfied with the quality of lymph received
and the arrangements for its despatch. Credit for this happy state of affairs
must be given to Assistant Surgeon, H. C. Phillips, I.M.D., Superintendent of
the Institute. It is just 20 years ago since I designed the Institute and
Mr. Phillips has nursed it with conspicuous success from its infancy.
Conclusion.
24. The triennium marks a great increase of vaccination in the
province, a circumstance the value of which is enhanced by the fact that
vaccination is the only protection the general population has against
smallpox. The disease is
seldom notified ; smallpox
hospitals, ex-
cluding Simla, do not exist ; systematic segregation and disinfection are
never attempted; and it is quite a common occurrence to meet people
in public places and publie conveyances whilst in the scabbing stage of the
disease. The increase in vaccination during the triennium is entirely due to
the efforts of the District Medical Officers of Health and when each district
has been supplied with such an officer further improvement in the vaccination
returns may be anticipated.
Systematic propaganda has done much towards educating public opinion
on the subject but there seems little prospect of ever educating municipal
committees to a proper sense of their responsibilties.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient servant,
W. H. C. FORSTER, LT.-COL., I.M.S.,
Director of Public Health, Punjab.