2
The fall in the success rate was conspicuous in almost all the districts of the
Presidency and was particularly so in Kurnool which recorded highest success
rates successively for very many years past. The current year's rate in this
district was 66.00 per cent against 96.84 per cent in 1917-18. The percentages
in this district during the previous four years were 96.65, 96.82, 96.64 and 96.85,
respectively. The general decline throughout the Presidency should be attributed
primarily to the change in procedure of verification of cases as explained by the
Director in paragraph 7 (2) of his report.
3. Vaccination Department—(i) Staff.—Two Deputy Sanitary Commissioners
were on duty—one in charge of Northern and Central Ranges with headquarters at
Madras and the other in charge of Southern Range with Coimbatore as his head-
quarters. The former inspected in all 7 municipalities and 261 villages in
nine districts and the latter 18 municipalities and 407 villages in seven districts.
The Deputy Sanitary Commissioner, Northern and Central Ranges, had in addition
the Special Plague Inspectors' class during the whole of April 1918 and he was
also in charge of the Sanitary Commissioner's office for a short period in February
1919. The work and inspections of these officers were satisfactory.
The following table exhibits the subordinate vaccination staffs employed in
the Presidency during 1918-19 as compared with the previous year:—
Year.
1917-18
...
...
1918-19
...
...
Deputy Inspectors of Vaccination.
First grade.
19
20
Second
grade.
20
37
Third grade.
48
49
Vaccinators.
First class.
256
184
Second class.
440
285
Third class.
165
180
Total
number of
vaccinators.
861
599
A scheme which offered better pay and prospects to these staffs was intro-
duced during the year under report (G.O. No. 963 L., dated 4th July 1917),
but the ultimate object with which it was introduced has not been attained. The
Deputy Sanitary Commissioner, Northern and Central Ranges, has given in para-
graphs 5 and 6 of his report some details of the new scheme and how it affected
the working of the department during 1918-19. It is generally held that until
properly qualified vaccinators take the place of the old set of men now on duty,
the quality of their work cannot improve. It should, therefore, be the endeavour
of all concerned to see that this is brought about with as little delay as possible.
Vaccinators' posts on rates of pay now in force do not seem to attract better
class of men. The suggestion of the Deputy Sanitary Commissioner, Northern
Range, in paragraph 6 (a) of his report to make these appointments more attrac-
tive by raising the scale of their pay may receive early consideration. The Deputy
Sanitary Commissioner has not overstated the difficulties now experienced in
recruiting proper men to the department.
(ii) Vaccination.—The following table exhibits the total vaccination work
performed by all agencies throughout the Presidency (including Dispensary
Vaccination) during the last three years:—
—
Primary vaccination (including secondary) ... ...
Re-vaccination
...
...
...
...
...
...
Total ...
1916-17.
1,481,337
218,608
1,699,945 *
1917-18.
1,432,386
274,897
1,707,283 *
1918-19.
1,333,313
300,520
1,633,833
* Revised figures which include dispensary vaccination.
Compared with the two previous years, the total number of cases vaccinated
during 1918-19 showed a decrease. The decline as compared with 1917-18