9
second dose contained double the number of the respective organisms, the usual
interval of 7 to 10 days being advised between the two doses.
Prophylactic cholera vaccine, made from locally isolated strains was at first
issued in doses of 500 and 1,000 million (1st and 2nd injection) but was later
sent out in doses of 1,000 and 2,000 million and is now being issued in doses of
2,000 and 4,000 million, as too severe reactions are not reported to follow these
enhanced doses. These amounts may be increased in future as greater immunity
will result therefrom.
Anti-dysenteric vaccine for prophylactic use was supplied to the Lunatic
Asylum at Calicut, the doses adopted being 500, 1,000 and 2,000 million respect
-
ively at intervals of 5 to 7 days.
The issue of tuberculin for therapeutic use was still further lessened during
the year by the exclusion of all cases not likely to benefit from the treatment.
This vaccine was supplied only when the nature of the case was described in detail
by the indenting officer in the usual prescribed form, febrile and debilitated cases
being strictly excluded. The favourable effect of this procedure is evident from
the results obtained by the use of tuberculin in the majority of cases for whom
the vaccine was supplied from the Institute (vide appendix) during the year.
TABLE IX.
(1) The General Hospital, Madras . . .
31
(2) The Royapettah Hospital, Madras . . .
3
(3) The Government Royapuram Hospital, Madras . . .
5
(4) The Edward VII Tuberculosis Institute, Madras . . .
1
(5) The Government Maternity Hospital, Madras . . .
30
(6) The Government Ophthalmic Hospital, Madras . . .
6
(7) The Station Hospitals, and other Military Hospitals in
Southern India . . .
9
(8) Private medical men and medical officers in their private
capacity in the Madras City . . .
23
(9) Medical men and hospitals in mufassal . . .
66
Total . . .
174
Table IX shows the sources of requisitions for autogenous bacterial vaccines.
There was a rise in the number of these vaccines prepared, mainly due to
the facilities afforded by the institute car for the free conveyance of specimens
from the different hospitals of the City to the Institute. Besides the 174 cases in
which vaccines were prepared, there were 83 more cases in which material was
received for autogenous vaccine preparation, but no vaccine could be made because
(a ) the cultivations were sterile, ( b) the organisms isolated were not characteristic
ones or (c ) the cultivations made and sent by persons especially from the mufassal
were unsuccessful, due to faulty technique in inoculating the tubes. The popula
-
rity of bacterial vaccines with medical men in up country stations continued, the
total number of autogenous vaccines made for them being 66 as against 51 in the
previous year.
The supply of sera from the Lister Institute was insufficient to meet the
demand from hospitals and from medical men; so purchases on a large scale had
to be made from the Indian Agencies of Messrs. Parke Davis & Co., and
Messrs. Burroughs Wellcome & Co., at Bombay. The supply of anti-strepto
cocus serum failed altogether at the end of the year, none being available at any
of the above firms. On account of the cessation of the war, it ought to be
possible to get regular and sufficient supplies from the Lister Institute from the
early part of 1919.
3