4
VACCINATION REPORT.
new appointments for several weeks; cessation of work in certain parts during the
Mapila riots. The apparent fall is also very probably due to more efficient super-
vision by the Deputies, all their predecessors having been punished and transferred
for irregularities.
South Arcot.—Want of cases fit for vaccination ! This is manifestly absurd as a
glance at the diagram at the end will show that only 21 per cent. of the population
is protected by vaccination. A more probable cause is to be found in the fact that
the staff was incomplete throughout the year, and that an epidemic among the
cattle caused a difficulty in procuring calves.
Kistna.—More careful supervision by a new Deputy Inspector, changes in the
staff, and the introduction of the rule—a very necessary one—that rewards for
extra work would not be paid until a certain percentage, or all, of the cases
reported had been verified.
Nellore.—Insufficient supply of vaccine paste from the central depôt at Nellore
said to be due to short supply of calves, though this explanation is not supported
by the District Medical and Sanitary Officer. Many vaccinators were also on sick
leave and substitutes were not appointed in some cases.
Cuddapah.—Sickness among the vaccinators and their absence on leave.
Nilgiris.—No explanation offered, but one probationary vaccinator did not
submit his return for the year.
South Canara.—Failure of lymph supply from the Mangalore depôt; as before
noted this district has steadily decreased for the last three years.
Gódávari.—Due to absence of vaccinators and transfers among them.
Malabar.
South Arcot.
Coimbatore.
Tanjore.
Trichinopoly.
Bellary.
North Arcot.
Madura.
Kurnool.
Nellore.
Tinnevelly.
Chingleput.
Vizagapatam.
7. Year after year the Deputy Inspectors urge the advisability of making
vaccination compulsory as a means of increasing the outturn, and there is no
doubt that the present mode of persuasion and bullying is a most undignified one.
As Government has, however, decided that it is not yet time to introduce this
measure, I would suggest as a step in this direction that the heads of villages should
be compelled to keep up lists of those in their jurisdiction who are not protected
from small-pox, and that these lists be completed by the vaccinators filling up the
column 'Date of vaccination' opposite each child as it is operated on. This list
should be kept entirely separate from the Birth and Death Registers, as it must
include the names of all children under ten years of age. This practice is in force
in the marginally-noted districts already, but is
only worked as long as the Collector is in
favour of it, so that sometimes it is working and
at other times is in abeyance. If this were
made a standing order it would conduce greatly
to the efficient working of the department. I
had intended in this place to bring to the notice of Government a scheme
elaborated by the Sanitary Commissioner, for the more efficient carrying on of
vaccination in rural tracts, and which has been tried in a few districts during the
past eighteen months ; but as reports called for as to its working have not yet been
received except from the district of Chingleput, I propose to submit this at a
future date, with the approval of Government. Mr. Forbes, President of the
District Board, Chingleput, writes of the forms used in the proposed scheme that
they 'appear to work practically very well and maintain a fairly satisfactory hold
both on the vaccinators and on the village officers.'
8. The next table shows the number of successful operations performed by all
agencies with the ratio of success attained. The success rate has fallen steadily
for the last three years, which, I would hope, points to greater accuracy in the
figures. The ratios of success for cantonments and dispensaries are nearly the
same, and as there is no inducement in these cases to show high results, I believe
that here we have probably the true percentage; and in this I am supported by
the results of the inspection of District Medical and Sanitary Officers, and the
Inspector of Vaccination as shown in the table in paragraph 4 (b) supra.