8TH AUGUST 1895, No. 1388 L., LOCAL AND MUNICIPAL.
3
year, and the total ratio of success falling from 96.1 per cent. to 92.7 but this is
possibly due to the cause indicated in paragraph 2 supra; if so, it is not altogether
a matter for regret. The percentage of success was very low in South Canara (66.2),
Coimbatore (80.3), Ganjám (77.7), and Kurnool (84.8). This is said to be due in the
first two cases to the bad quality of the glycerinized lymph and paste supplied, and in
the last to its deterioration owing to excessive heat. The decline in Ganjám and in the
other districts has not been explained. South Arcot, on the other hand, shows a ratio
of 98.8 per cent., and Tinnevelly, Bellary, North Arcot and Nilgiris followed next with
98.1, 97.9, 97.5 and 97.4 respectively—very high figures, if correct. The average cost
of each successful case, which was As. 3-1 in 1893-94, rose by one pie in the year
under report. It varied from As. 5-9 in Ganjám to As. 2 in Salem and was more than
As. 4 in Anantapur, Bellary, Cuddapah, Gódávari, Kurnool, Nellore and North Arcot.
In all these districts, excepting Gódávari and North Arcot, this point was noticed in
the review of the report for 1893-94, but the cost in Anantapur and Ganjám has never-
theless increased instead of declining. The department and the district boards
concerned will be again urged to endeavour to reduce these high figures. The reduc-
tion of cost in the Nilgiris from As. 8-2 to As. 4-1, which is due to a large increase
(from 2,414 to 4,124) in the number of successful operations, is satisfactory. The
work done in the different districts will be more fully noticed when reviewing the
administration reports of the district boards.
7. Municipalities.—Vaccination was compulsory in all the municipalities in the
Presidency including the city of Madras, and the number of operations performed by
-the municipal vaccinators showed an increase of 4,298 cases, the rise occurring chiefly
in Calicut (2,870) and Karur (554). In twenty-one municipalities, however,—not
nineteen as stated in paragraph 12 of the report—there was a retrogression, which was
most marked in Cuddalore, Madura and Tanjore, and it is to be regretted that in eight
of these—Chidambaram, Cocanada, Dindigul, Mangalore, Mannárgudi, Nellore, Palni
and Tinnevelly—this has occurred for two years in succession. The special attention
of the department and of these Councils is drawn to the matter. The Government
trusts that there will be an improvement in the current year. The proportion to
the registered births of the year of infants successfully vaccinated rose from 65.8
to 79 per cent., and in this respect the work done in municipalities compared very
favourably with that in local fund areas, where the percentage was only 27.3. The
average outturn of work per vaccinator was, however, 1,064 against 1,528 in
local fund areas and exceeded 1,000 cases in only 28 towns. It was highest in
Bezwada (1,960) and Rajahmundry, Tinnevelly, Calicut, Vizianagrara, Madura,
Vizagapatam and Salem followed next with more than 1,500 cases each ; but in Tirup¬
pattúr (373), Ongole (431), Vániyanibadi (445), Anantapur (466) and Tirupati (496),
it was very low. Here again there appears to be room for considerable advance.
The excuse of want of cases for vaccination, which is sometimes urged to explain short
work, cannot be considered valid as long as primary vaccination is not complete, and
as re-vaccination is in its present backward condition. The average cost of each
successful case was As. 4-10 against As. 5-1 in the previous year, but it compared
unfavourably with that in local fund areas, where it was only As. 3-2. It varied
from As. 12-2 in Tirupati to As. 1-7 in Calicut and exceeded As. 8 in Anantapur,
Dindigul, Kurnool and Walajapet. The same point was noticed in the case of all
these towns, except Walajapet, in 1893-94 and the councils concerned will be once
more requested to endeavour to reduce the cost per operation. During the year
under review a scheme for regulating the action of Municipal Chairmen in enforcing
the compulsory provisions of the District Municipalities Act relating to vaccination
was sanctioned by Government (G.O., dated 19th October 1894, No. 1502 M.), but
it is noticed with dissatisfaction that the monthly returns prescribed in that order
have not been forwarded to the Inspector of Vaccination from Cuddalore, Cuddapah,
Madura, Máyavaram, Palni or Tellicherry. The Chairmen of the Municipal Councils
of these towns will be requested to explain the omission, and the attention of the
Sanitary Commissioner and the Surgeon-General will be invited to paragraph 2 of the
order referred to. The total number of operations performed in the city of Madras
was 24,725 against 23,644 in 1893-94, the percentage of reported successful cases
the same (97.9), and the cost of each such case As. 6 against As. 6-6. Infantile
vaccination also made some progress, 77.9 per cent. of the children born during the