2ND SEPTEMBER 1891, Nos. 2117, 2118 L., LOCAL AND MUNICIPAL.
7
report cannot be accepted as altogether adequate. The results achieved in different
circles varied extremely and will be dealt with by Government in reviewing the
administration reports of the several District Boards, and in the general review of
Local Fund operations for 1890-91. It is to be regretted that, in Anantapur,
Chingleput, Coimbatore, Salem, Tanjore and Vizagapatam, there was a total falling
off of 20,065 cases. The explanations furnished for this unsatisfactory result cannot
be accepted and every effort should now be made to regain lost ground. In the case
of Coimbatore, a similar shortfall was noticed last year and should not have been
allowed to continue unchecked. In Kurnool, each vaccinator performed 2,836 opera-
tions—a very creditable number. The highest position in this respect used to be taken
by Chingleput which, however, has now fallen to third, Trichinopoly occupying the
second place with 1,687 per operator or very nearly the same as last year. The work
done in the other circles cannot be considered good, and in Nílgiris, Ganjam, Anan-
tapur and Godávari was decidedly bad. The great improvement in Kistna, which has
risen from last to 15th on the list, is creditable to those to whom it is due. Nílgiris
occupied the last position but one, and Ganjam and Anantapur fell 3 and 4 places,
respectively. The best work, as regards quality, was performed in Ganjam, Madura
and Tinnevelly, but the high percentage of success in the first-named district is
probably an incorrect figure due to imperfect supervision of the vaccinators' work.
6. Municipalities.—Vaccination was compulsory in 38 municipal towns, having
been introduced into 13 in the course of the year under review. It is to be regretted
that, notwithstanding the remarks made in G.O., dated 14th October 1890, No. 2618 L.,
and reiterated in the several general and special reviews of Municipal administration,
the progress made by Municipal Councils in this direction continues to be very slow
and the work done by municipal vaccinators to be very insufficient. For this there
appears to be no sufficient reason. Vaccination is compulsory in the majority of
Municipalities while in rural tracts it is not. In the case of the former, the population
is concentrated within a small space and in that of the latter, the areas to be traversed
by the vaccinators are large and the population, in most instances, is scattered. Yet
the work done by each vaccinator in municipal areas outside the town of Madras aver-
aged only 847 cases, a poorer outturn than in any Local Fund circle, except the four
specially commented upon in the preceding paragraph. This discreditable state of
things points, no doubt correctly, to want of due interest and energy on the part of
the generality of Municipalities with regard to vaccination. Taking the 38 towns in
which vaccination is compulsory, by far the best work was done in Vizagapatam
where the single vaccinator employed performed the very satisfactory number of 2,539
operations against 1,259 in the preceding year. It is noted that vaccination was
rendered compulsory in this town only during the year under review. The second
place is occupied by Trichinopoly, with 1,748 cases per vaccinator, or more than
double the number in 1889-90. This Municipality also adopted the compulsory
system in 1890-91. The results in Guntúr, Ellore and Adóni may be accepted as
fair, but in every other Municipality they were below what should be expected as a
good year's work. The poorest outturn was reported from Vániyambádi, which was
last also in 1889-90 and the improvement which has taken place is not in any way
sufficient. The 37th place is occupied by Anantapur and the next by Ongole, in
both of which vaccination was compulsory throughout the year and the work done
showed a decline. In Periyakulam, Parlákimedi, Vizianagrum and Salem, the intro-
duction of compulsory vaccination during the year under review had no appreciable
effect, and except in the first-named, less work was done than under the old system.
This calls for the early attention of the Councils concerned. The best work, as
regards Municipalities in which vaccination is not compulsory, was turned out by
Mangalore (1,190 cases), but the falling off from 1,460 in 1889-90 is not satisfactory.
Tuticorin occupied the second place with 1,068 cases—a fairly creditable advance on
the, 885 of the previous year, but still far from sufficient. The outturn in Tellicherry
was eminently discreditable and the same may be said of Walajapet, Karúr, Gudiyátam
and Tirupatúr, which are usually amongst the most apathetic Municipalities in this
respect. The compulsory system has been adopted by Gudiyátam and Tirupatúr in
the current year and will, it is hoped, be worked with efficiency. In consequence of