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GOVERNMENT OF MADRAS.
PUBLIC DEPARTMENT.
Read letter from the Sanitary Commissioner, dated 18th September 1878, No. 53,
submitting the Report on Vaccination for the year 1877-78.
ORDER THEREON, 17th October 1878, No. 1526.
Towards the close of the year to which the above report relates Dr. Shortt, the
Inspector of Vaccination, retired from the public service and was succeeded by Surgeon
J. H. Laing. The Government have already in their Order, dated 26th June 1878,
No. 1116, expressed their appreciation of Dr. Shortt's devoted services in furtherance
of vaccine knowledge among the people of this Presidency.
2. Dr. Laing, his successor, has had the sphere of his duties enlarged by being
appointed Deputy Sanitary Commissioner as well as Inspector of Vaccination. This
arrangement was suggested to Government by the Sanitary Commissioner, and they
trust that it may eventuate in the more efficient working of the department and the
progress of sanitation in the Presidency generally.
3. In their review on the report for 1876-77 the Government drew attention to
the absence of returns from certain Municipalities, to confusion arising from want of
accuracy in the definition of the limits of some sub-divisions, and to other matters
connected with the completeness and accuracy of the returns theretofore adopted. The
Government are glad to note considerable improvement in these administrative and
statistical details, and have every confidence that, under Dr. Cornish's able supervision
and guidance, the defects noticed in these respects will be entirely removed and the
department will be as deserving of credit for accuracy in these respects as it has been
for energy and progress in securing the more important ends in view.
4. The regular vaccine staff consisted, all told, of 573 employés, of whom 92
were probationers, but including Local Fund and Municipal vaccinators there were
713 officers and subordinates. Extra hands were also employed temporarily in several
districts in connection with outbreaks of small-pox and in famine centres.
5. The large increase in the number of operations was remarked on last year, but
in the year under review, in consequence of the prevalence of the disease and the control
which was exercised by Government officials over vast numbers of people assembled
on famine works or in famine camps, the number nearly doubled itself, being 787,730
against 483,192 in the preceding year, being a gross increase of 304,538 operations.
Of these 776,705 were primary against 478,727 in 1876-77. In 1871-72 the number
was 276,822 only. Making every allowance for the facilities which the exceptional
circumstances of the year afforded, the Government cannot but regard these figures as
indicative of very satisfactory progress, and that amongst many sections of the
people repugnance to the operation is fast losing its strength. The returns of the
current year will probably show a very marked decrease, but the subjection of so
large a proportion of the population to the process must tend to raise their apprecia-
tion of the efficacy of the prophylactic. The Government regret to observe that in
many districts full benefit was not taken by the officers concerned of the power they
possessed of vaccinating numbers of people who had become properly amenable to the
operation.
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