REPORT ON VACCINATION IN THE MADRAS PRESIDENCY
FOR THE YEAR 1897-98.
From Surgeon-Major H. THOMSON, M.B., D.P.H., Acting Inspector of Vaccination
and Deputy Sanitary Commissioner for Madras, to the Acting Sanitary
Commissioner for Madras, dated 30th June 1898, No. 809-V.
I have the honour to submit the report on the vaccine operations of the Madras
Presidency for the year 1897-98 in accordance with G.O., No. 1455, Public, dated
12th July 1886.
2. Surgeon-Major W. B. Bannerman continued to hold the office of Inspector
of Vaccination and Deputy Sanitary Commissioner throughout the year.
3. Surgeon-Major Bannerman, by G.O., No. 1001-M., Mis., dated 28th April
1897, was absent on other duty from this Presidency from 1st July 1897 to 20th
April 1898; consequently no inspections were made by him, but he conducted
throughout the year under report the ordinary routine work of the office.
4. The strength and rates of pay of the vaccine establishment are shown in
the following table:—
Years.
1896-97
...
...
1897-98
...
...
First-class
Deputy
Inspectors.
Rs. 60—70.
34
33
Second-class
Deputy
Inspectors.
Rs. 40.
* 25
* 27
First-class
Vaccinators.
Rs. 15—20.
272
273
Second-class
Vaccinators.
Rs. 10—12.
407
395
Proba-
tioners.
Rs. 5—7.
151
152
* Includes four Assistant Deputy Inspectors employed by the Madras Municipality.
The District Board, Tanjore, re-arranged its vaccine circles, converting one
of the two first-class into two second-class ranges; this change accounts for the
variation in the number of first and second class Deputy Inspectors.
The fall in the number of vaccinators, as compared with the previous year,
was due to revision of staff made by certain local bodies with reference to actual
requirements.
5. The operations performed by the several agencies employed in the Presi-
dency, including the work done in hospitals and dispensaries, as exhibited in
Statement III of the appendix, amounted to 1,271,729 against 1,247,720 in 1896-97.
Of these, 1,189,146 were primary vaccinations and 82,583 re-vaccinations, the
corresponding figures for the previous year being 1,173,131 and 74,589. The
increase shown is mainly due to (a) whenever this office perceived a tendency to a
fall in vaccine operations, timely notices were issued to the Deputy Inspectors to
be on the alert to keep their vaccine staffs up to their work; (b) by circular, local
bodies were impressed with the value of re-vaccination and with the importance of
inducing the people to submit to it; (c) prevalence of small-pox in certain areas and
the support given to the efforts of the vaccinators by the Revenue authorities in
some districts.
Net result of vaccine operations—
Increase in—
Eleven districts and 28 municipalities
...
...
...
...
...=
Cantonments and dispensaries, &c.
...
...
...
...
...=
Decrease in—
Ten districts and 31 municipalities
...
...
...
...
...=
CASES.
68,695
3,050
47,736
Among districts the largest increase was shown in Ganjám (20,644), South
Arcot (16,049), Malabar (4,716) and South Canara (4,529).
The largest decrease was shown in Vizagapatam (15,225), Kistna (5,171),
Gódávari (4,525), Salem (4,350), Tanjore (4,070), North Arcot (3,219), * Coimba-
tore (3,131) and* Chingleput (2,840). Two other districts (Cuddapah and Nellore)
* These showed a decrease in 1896-97.