2
VACCINATION REPORT.
During the year under review the results recorded from the use of lanoline
paste are better than those from the use of glycerine paste. The poor results
previously obtained with the lanoline paste were probably due mainly to inexpe-
rience on the part of vaccinators, in the use of this medium. A circular containing
full instructions was consequently sent out to all local bodies, who were requested
to issue translations in the vernaculars to all their vaccinators.
(b) Lieutenant-Colonel W. G. King's Kurnool Scheme for improving vaccina-
tion in rural areas lately recommended by Major Bannerman and approved of in
G.O., No. 299 L., dated 18th February 1898, and agreed to by all districts except
Nellore and Salem, has been worked in all the districts of the Presidency except.
the two mentioned. A circular asking for reports on the working of the scheme
has been issued; on receipt of all the replies a separate report will be forwarded.
(c) In paragraph 3 of the report for the year 1896-97, Major W. B.
Bannerman recommended the appointment of two Assistant Surgeons as Assistant
Inspectors of Vaccination. As the fact that one Inspector of Vaccination can hope
even if uninterrupted by other duties to inspect the work of only six or seven
ranges in a year is incontrovertible and as, as recent experience has shown, un-
interrupted work cannot always be expected, while regular vaccination inspection
may even be, as lately, entirely stopped by the outbreak of a serious epidemic, it is
clear that, unless some assistance is sanctioned, the important duty of checking
results can only be very inadequately performed.
(d) Under G.O., No. 435, Public, dated 17th April 1897, directing the future
reservation of the appointment of Deputy Inspectors of Vaccination to men holding
certificates as Sanitary Inspectors, ten new appointments have been made. It is too
soon to report definitely on this change, but so far as our experience goes there has
been distinct improvement.
(e) By G.O., No. 1219-L., dated 5th July 1898, the power of vetoing the
objections of Presidents of District Boards to transfers and appointments of Deputy
Inspectors was sanctioned, and the relief afforded has enabled the work of adminis-
tering the department to be carried out much more easily and efficiently, especially
as it has enabled more regard to be paid to language qualifications than before.
5. The table given below shows the total vaccination work done by all agencies
throughout the Presidency :—
—
Primary vaccinations ... ... ...
Re-vaccinations ... ... ... ...
Total ...
1896-97.
1,173,131
74,589
1,247,720
1897-98.
1,189,146
82,583
1,271,729
1898-99.
1,039,713
78,280
1,117,993
From this it will be seen that there has been a decrease of 153,736 cases as
compared with last year; this large decrease has mainly occurred in local fund
areas and municipalities, and would have been much larger had there not been a
substantial increase in the number of cases done by vaccinators employed in the
Agency tracts, in Zamindaries and in Cantonments and by medical subordinates.
Primary vaccination shows a decrease of 149,433 and re-vaccination of 4,303.
This large decrease is probably mainly due to a widespread plague inoculation scare
which sprang up sometime ago all over the Presidency and continued during the
greater part of the year. That this is so is shown by the figures given in the next
paragraph, where the work done in the various districts is detailed. However
irrational it may seem, the existence of a very decided scare is beyond doubt, the
mere approach of an official looking person being in many cases sufficient to rapidly
empty a village, while in some cases reports of assaults have been received.
With the exception of Tanjore, Vizagapatam and Malabar which showed an
increase in the number of operations performed as compared with the previous
year, the rest of the districts showed a falling off which was very large in the follow-
ing districts:—