ANNUAL REPORT ON THE WORK OF THE VACCINE SECTION OF
THE KING INSTITUTE OF PREVENTIVE MEDICINE, GUINDY,
FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31ST MARCH 1917.
The total amount of vaccine supplied by the Institute during the year
under report amounts to 2,024,220 cases. When compared with the supply of the
previous year, there is a drop of 89,477 or 4.23 per cent.
2. Table I shows the quantity of vaccine issued to various bodies for the
quinquennium 1912-13 to 1916-17.
TABLE I.
Statement showing the quantity of vaccine supplied to various bodies from 1912-13 to 1916-17.
To whom supplied.
Government officers including jails ...
Agency Tracts .
.
. ... ... ...
Military Department
...
...
...
District Boards
...
...
...
...
Municipalities
...
...
...
...
Superintendent
of
Vaccination,
Secunderabad ... ... ... ...
Vaccinator, Bolarum ... ... ...
Civil Surgeon, Civil Hospital, Basrah ...
Private bodies ... ... ... ...
Total ...
1912-13.
41,902
27,130
12,333
1,560,341
173,255
...
...
...
72,678
1,887,639
1913-14.
47,172
23,150
27,587
1,625,926
179,330
...
...
...
69,000
1,972,165
1914-15.
20,951
25,060
25,671
1,649,070
178,980
19,530
1,460
...
62,695
1,983,417
1915-16.
21,451
24,105
14,410
1,739,000
236,185
8,970
1,550
2,400
65,626
2,113,697
1916-17.
22,656
* 1,700
28,815
19,677
1,652,330
212,035
7,930
1,070
200
77,807
2,024,220
* Supplied to the Port Health Officer, Negapatam.
The most marked feature shown by the table is the great fall in the amount
of vaccine supplied to District Boards and Municipalities. This fall amounts to
86,670 cases or 4.98 per cent and 24,150 cases or 10.23 per cent under District
Boards and Municipalities, respectively. The fall in the supply to Municipalities
was due to the Madras Corporation indenting for much less lymph than during
last year, the epidemic of small-pox having been much milder during 1916-17
than during the previous year. Marked falls are also to be noted in the amounts
supplied to the Superintendent of Vaccination, Secunderabad, and the Vaccinator,
Bolarum, the percentage reductions amounting to about 11.59 and 30.97, respect
ively. The Civil Surgeon, Basrah, was supplied with 200 cases only and from
April 1916 the supplies were stopped at his request. Marked rises, viz., 13.54
per cent and 19.54 per cent, are however seen in the supplies made to Government
officers including Jails and Agency Tracts, respectively. Great increases are also
seen under the headings of Private Bodies and Military Department. These
amount to about 18.56 and 36.55 per cent, respectively.
3. There was no change in the manufacture of the vaccine. As usual, the bulk
of the material issued was lanolinated vaccine, but glycerinated vaccine was
supplied to Madras City and to Colombo as in previous years.
4. In the great majority of cases, the usual fortnightly despatch was adhered
to ; but the system of three supplies per month was continued to Chingleput, and
parts of Gōdāvari, North and South Arcot. The period of experiment of supply
ing vaccine thrice a month introduced last year to the Municipalities of Anantapur,
Cocanada, Coimbatore, Nellore and Vizagapatam was extended by another year in
consideration of the reports and the results furnished by the Chairmen of the above
Municipal towns. From the 1st of March 1917 the period allowed to vaccinators
to utilize vaccine has been limited to a maximum of five clear days after the receipt
of the vaccine by them, thus compelling them to use up their supplies as promptly
as possible. The effect of this innovation must be closely watched during the
ensuing year.