4
VACCINATION REPORT.
Ganjám.
Nellore.
Tanjore.
South Canara.
Gódávari.
Malabar.
In the above table the results achieved are arranged in the descending order
of merit. Having regard to the fact that vaccination is not compulsory in rural
areas, the results attained by the first nine districts noted in the table may be
regarded as fair. In the remaining districts, especially in
those noted in the margin, special efforts in this direction are
necessary, and, until the Boards concerned interest themselves
in the cause of infantile vaccination, protection cannot be said to be afforded to
their juvenile population. Compared with the previous year the increase in the
percentage of protection afforded was largest in Bellary (14.3), South Arcot (14.1),
Madura (12.7) and Vizagapatam (10.2). On the other hand, there was a decrease
in this respect in 7 districts, of which Kistna, Nilgiris and Coimbatore are con-
spicuous. The improvement effected in the districts mentioned above is ascribed
to one or more of the following causes :—
(1) Assistance rendered by Revenue authorities.
(2) Maintenance of unprotected lists by the village heads.
(3) Employment of extra vaccinators and raising the minimum fixed for
vaccinators.
Of the defaulters, Nilgiris has furnished no explanation though called for;
Kistna pleads want of aid from village munsifs; while Coimbatore shelters itself
under the excuse that famine and sickness among children and lax supervision on the
part of a Deputy Inspector, who has since retired, retarded progress being shown.
In the case of municipalities, the first forty towns enumerated in the state-
ment, wherein the proportion of protection secured was 75 per cent. and over, may
be said to have done a fair tale of work. In this connection, I have to remark that
the percentages shown would be more accurate were infantile deaths deducted
from births and the calculation based on the residue. Contrasting the two years'
results, the largest increase (45.7) was shown by Chicacole. In Parlákimedi,
Calicut, Srívilliputtúr, Mangalore and Bimlipatam, the increase ranged between
29.1 and 21.5. In explanation of these large variations it is urged that the preva-
lence of small-pox tended greatly to influence people favourably towards vacci-
nation. In one municipality (Srívilliputtúr), however, the rise is ascribed to the
outstandings of the previous year having been disposed of in the year under
review. Turning to the towns which have retrograded in this respect, the largest
decrease (32.0) was recorded in Madura. The shortfall is ascribed to the dismissal
of a vaccinator, whose place was not filled up for two months, and to the absence of
another on leave for one month. Coonoor, Anantapur, Kurnool and Erode also
showed a decrease, the differences in comparison with the previous year being
between 20 and over 13 per cent. The causes for the decline, as stated by the
chairmen of the councils concerned, are either (1) paucity of cases available for
vaccination, or (2) inefficiency of the lymph employed.
9. The following table shows the cost of the various establishments at work
and of each successful case :—
Establishment.
Government establishment ... ... ... ...
Local Fund
do. ... ... ... ...
Municipal
do. ... ... ... ...
Zamindari
do. ... ... ... ...
Cantonment
do. ... ... ... ...
Total ...
Total expenditure.
1896-97.
RS.
7,288
1,92,065
34,616
972
2,296
2,37,240
A.
7
14
7
14
11
6
P.
5
9
1
4
0
7
1897-98.
RS.
9,182
1,95,775
34,377
1,267
2,288
2,42,891
A.
0
14
12
9
9
13
P.
6
1
2
4
0
1
Average cost of each
successful case.
1896-97.
RS.
0
0
0
0
0
0
A.
6
3
5
3
8
3
P.
8
2
0
2
4
6
1897-98.
RS.
0
0
0
0
0
0
A.
5
3
4
2
7
3
P.
8
4
9
2
7
6
Gódávari,
Cuddapah,
Anantapur and Bellary.
The average cost per case decreased except in Local Fund circles. It varied
in the case of these latter from As. 7-5 in the Nilgiris to
As. 2-0 in Salem and was high in the marginally-noted districts.
As regards municipalities the cost ranged between As. 12-2 in Tirupati and pies 8
in Anantapur. It was over As. 6 in fourteen other towns. The local bodies
concerned should, therefore, endeavour to economise expenditure on this object
without impairing the efficiency of the means employed. Now that the majority