6
VACCINATION REPORT.
6. LOCAL FUND CIRCLES.—Marked increase of annual outturn has occurred in
the following districts:—
In Kurnool, 4,026 cases in excess by the ordinary staff, and 17,582 cases by a
special staff; in Trichinopoly 13,186, Vizagapatam 13,004, and Chingleput 7,947.
An increase of 4,774 in Kistna is of special interest, with reference to the formerly-
backward condition of the district; there is, however, still much room for improve-
ment, as the number of successful primary vaccinations per annum amount to
only 11.8 per mille of the population, affording, by a long way, the worst result
in the Presidency. I have directed the special attention of the District Board
of Kistna to the subject, and have received a reply from the Acting President,
Mr. Wolfe-Murray, that every effort is being made to retrieve this condition of
affairs, by inducing Revenue subordinates to personally aid vaccinators.
Only two cases of heavy decrease are recorded, namely, in Coimbatore and
South Canara to the extent of 4,250 and 10,858 cases respectively. The decrease
in Coimbatore is ascribed to the operation of a ruling that " excess cases " shall
not be paid for, unless actually certified to by the Deputy Inspector, and con-
sequent decline of incentive to operate upon more than the minimum number
demanded; to the discovery of falsification of records by six vaccinators, and to
labour lost during their suspension and prosecution; to difficulty in filling vacant
posts, and the absence of effectual aid from village officials. No satisfactory reason
for the falling off in South Canara has been advanced.
7. Classified according to ratio of successful primary vaccinations during the
year to mille of population, the following districts show the best results :—Chingle-
put 45.3, Salem 36.4 and Trichinopoly and Bellary 33.3, each. The following
Deputy Inspectors have shown increased outturns in their ranges worthy of special
mention:—M. Ramasawmy Naidu of Trichinopoly circle, and K. Vurdarajulu
Naidu of Saidápet circle.
8. The following Deputy Inspectors have inspected less than the minimum laid
down, of fifty per cent. of the total vaccinated within their ranges:—Ramanah
Naidu, Gooty range; Baliah Naidu, Chingleput range; Babu Naidu, Sidhout
range; Puttabyah, Pittapur range; Rangasawmy Naidu, Permagudi range; and
the Deputy Inspector of Vizianagrum range.
9. Each case will be dealt with on its merits, and where no satisfactory reason
is offered their punishment will be recommended. In the case of the Deputy In-
spector of the Chingleput range, whose percentage of work is lowest of all, with the
exception of the Deputy Inspector of Vizianagrum, in whose case special reasons
existed, it is noticed that this is the second year that this has occurred, and that an
unnecessary proportion of the man's time has been consumed in travelling to and fro
to attend meetings of the Chingleput District and Taluk Boards and Conjeeveram
Municipality, of each of which he is a member. It seems to me, in consideration
of the peculiar duties demanded of Deputy Inspectors, that their being members of
Local Bodies trammels their usefulness. So long as the District Sanitary Officer
is a member of the District Board, his guidance as to professional matters with
respect to vaccination should suffice, without the support to be derived from
opinions of the nature likely to be held by a Deputy Inspector. Moreover it does
not seem to be conducive to discipline, that a Deputy Inspector should be placed
in a position in which he can vote as to the conduct of matters in a department
where he holds but a subordinate position.
10. In certain districts the systematic working of the department is consider-
ably hampered, by the necessity of either First-class Vaccinators or Deputy In-
spectors being specially directed to give certificates of vaccination for grant-in-aid
schools. If the proportion of Vaccinators and Deputy Inspectors to population and
area of country has been properly calculated, it follows that the extra duty involved
is likely to affect injuriously the working powers of the department. When, there-
fore, schools are numerous, it would seem desirable that arrangements should be
made for temporarily strengthening the local staff, debiting the cost locally to the
District Board grant for education. This might be arranged by the appointment
of trained probationers as acting vaccinators, thus giving First-class Vaccinators
for the work, or by the use of unattached Hospital Assistants. A decrease of
possible outturn is also brought about, by the extraordinary practice of detaching