No. 1498 L., 28TH JULY 1899.
3
Vaccination considers that this is probably a nearer approximation to the truth than
the figures recorded in previous years. The percentage of success was high in Madura
(98.5), South Arcot (98.5), Trichinopoly (98.5), and Cuddapah (98.0) and low in Gódá¬
vari (50.6), Ganjám (72.8), and Tanjore (74.7). The percentage of success in re-vaccina-
tion also showed a decline, being 75.3 per cent. against 82.5 in the previous year. As
a result of the smaller number of operations performed during the year, the average cost
of each successful case rose from As. 3-4 to As. 3-11. It varied from As. 10-3 in the
Nilgiris to As. 2-7 in Vizagapatam and was more than As. 4 in Anantapur, Bellary,
Cuddapah, Gódávari, Kurnool, Nellore, North Arcot and Trichinopoly, as was the case
in the previous year also, except in Trichinopoly. Compared with 1897-98 there was
an increase in seventeen districts which was large in Gódávari (As. 3), the Nilgiris
(As. 2-10), Cuddapah (As. 2-6) and North Arcot (As. 2-6). The District Boards
concerned are requested to make every endeavour to reduce the cost. The work done
in the different districts will, as usual, be more fully noticed in reviewing the
administration reports of the District Boards.
7. Municipalities.—Vaccination was compulsory in all the municipalities includ-
ing the city of Madras and the total number of operations performed by the municipal
vaccinators was 118,140 or 9,584 less than in the previous year, the decrease being
most marked in Madras (4,896), Trichinopoly (2,847), Calicut (1,123), Berhampur
(959), and Coimbatore (566). This is attributed to one or more of the following
causes, namely, (1) a diminution in the number of unprotected children in consequence
of a decrease in the total number of births, (2) the absence of small-pox and the conse-
quent indifference to vaccination on the part of parents and (3) the prevalence of
plague leading in some cases to the closure of vaccine depots. It is to be regretted
that in Tellicherry there has been a retrogression for five years in succession, and in
Calicut, Masulipatam and Anakápalle for three years. On the other hand, there was
an increase in 27 towns which was conspicuous in Negapatam (1,040) where a large
number of workmen in the railway workshops were vaccinated during the year, in
Cocanada (987) where 942 persons on small-pox infected vessels were vaccinated and
in Guntúr (654) where the jail was temporarily re-opened. The proportion of infants
successfully vaccinated to the registered births of the year fell from 84.0 to 74.7 per
cent. The average outturn of work by each vaccinator was 1,064 against 1,369 in
Local Fund areas and it exceeded 1,000 cases in 25 towns against 29 in the pre-
vious year. It was high in Cocanada (2,864), Madura (1,780), Vizianagram (1,752),
Guntúr (1,684), and Salem (1,501) and low in Cuddapah (272), Walajapet (297),
Anantapur (396), Kárúr (463), Tirupati (463), Tiruppattúr (473), and Bimlipatam
(487). The Councils of the seven towns last named must insist on their vaccinators
turning out better work in future. The average cost of each successful operation by
municipal vaccinators rose from As. 4-9 to As. 5 and compared unfavourably with
that in Local Fund areas, where it was only As. 3-11. It ranged between As. 14-1
in Walajapet to As. 1-11 in Madura and exceeded As. 8 in Berhampur, Bimli-
patam, Coonoor, Cuddapah, Kárúr and Tirupati. The Councils of these towns and
of Walajapet should take steps to reduce this excessive cost. It is noticeable that in
each of these towns, except Tirupati, there was an increase as compared with the
previous year.
From the table showing the working of the system prescribed in G.O., No. 1502
M., dated 19th October 1894, for the better supervision of compulsory vaccination in
district municipalities, it appears that the number of children under one year success-
fully vaccinated according to the monthly returns was, except in Ellore and Tuticorin,
larger than the number returned as successfully vaccinated out of the total births
entered in the register as available for vaccination. The difference was particularly
large in Madura (1,929) and Calicut (1,203), and as it cannot be accounted for by a
large influx of children born elsewhere and brought into the town in the first year of
life and vaccinated during their stay therein, the Government considers that the
explanation for this difference should be sought for mainly in the defective registra-
tion of births—a subject which demands the earnest attention of the Councils
concerned. In the City of Madras, 28,186 operations were performed against 33,082
in the previous year, and of these 7,559 or more than one-fourth were cases of re-
vaccination. The percentage of success in primary and secondary vaccinations was