VACCINATION REPORT.
7
vaccinators for cholera duty pursued by certain District Boards. These men can
by no manner of reasoning be regarded as possessed of either the medical or
sanitary knowledge requisite for such employment, and hence both in the interests
of the Vaccination Department and of the adoption of correct sanitary measures
with respect to cholera, their utilization for this purpose should be definitely
forbidden.
11. MUNICIPALITIES.—Under Municipalities, a total decrease of two cases, when
compared with last year, is recorded. Nellore exhibits a decrease of 1,912 cases.
The reason for this result will be ascertained at once by special inspection; infor-
mation at present available points to the incompetency of the vaccinator employed,
in. spite of the District Medical and Sanitary Officer's protest. In Kurnool a
decrease of 903 cases is shown, but the total record must nevertheless be regarded
as good, as during the previous year, special efforts being made with reference
to an epidemic of small-pox, 2,596 cases were returned against 639 of the year
1887-88.
12. Compulsory vaccination is in force in 25 of the total of 55 Mofussil Munici-
palities in the Presidency, showing an increase of 4 towns since last report, namely,
Vániyambádi, Kurnool, Kumbakó am and Tirupati. The change from option to
compulsion has in all cases been received well, the people being fully alive to the
benefits of a properly conducted system of this nature. In Municipalities, where
compulsion is in force, the successful vaccination of infants under one year of age
to registered births bore a ratio of 64.9 per cent. against 96.5 per cent. of 8 chief
towns in Scotland. In Municipal towns, where option is permitted, the ratio was
39.7 per cent.
13. LOCAL FUND HOSPITALS AND DISPENSARIES.—Returns from institutions under
the charge of District Medical and Sanitary Officers show an increase of 9,022
cases, when compared with the outturn of last year. This result must be consid-
ered very satisfactory, as Medical Subordinates have certain difficulties to contend
against in carrying out vaccination duty, that are not experienced by members of
the Vaccination Department. In Chingleput, the admirable advance in dispensary
vaccination work made in 1888-89 during the administration of Surgeon Sarkies
was continued and exceeded by his successor, Surgeon-Major Nailer; so that this
year more than three times the number of cases have been returned, when com-
pared with a period of two years back. An equally good result has been effected
by Surgeon-Major Sturmer in the Vizagapatam district, a three times greater
number of successful vaccinations having been performed than in the previous
year; Kurnool, Godávari, Trichinopoly,North and South Arcot have each returned
more than double the number of last year.
14. CANTONMENTS.—In the Cantonments of Bangalore and Secunderabad a
decrease of 1,270 cases is reported. In Bangalore, the decrease would seem to a
certain extent ascribable to the fact that the efforts of the vaccinators were, from
the commencement of the calendar year, confined to the military services ; for the
most part, however, the decrease is but relative, owing to a large number of
re-vaccinations having been carried out in the previous year, in consequence of
the prevalence of small-pox. In Secunderabad the only reason offered by the
officer in charge of the vaccination staff is that, in the absence of compulsion,
difficulty is experienced in vaccinating children.
15. HILL TRACTS.—The returns from Ganjam show an increase of 9,149 opera-
tions. Gunapur has not yet returned to the position it occupied in 1887-88, but
it did better this year than last by 847 cases; the remainder of a total increase of
1,236 cases represents the united efforts of Jeypore, Gudem, Bhadráchallam and
Peddapur. The Hill Tracts have not kept step with the advance made by the rest
of the Presidency; but it must be remembered that unusual difficulties present
themselves in these parts of the country. For example, in Jeypore Hill Tracts the
posts of two vaccinators were not filled during six and eleven months of the year.
In reply to a query on the subject, I was informed that suitable men could not be
induced to undertake the work of vaccinators on the small pay of Rs. 10 allowed
by Government. Under G.O., No. 842, dated 9th April 1888, the Vaccination
Department in this part of the country is practically independent of control of this
office, but I venture to suggest, irrespective of the remarks made by me in a