OFFICE OF SANITARY COMMISSIONER,
Madras, 2nd August 1916.
D. No. 431/V.
From
MAJOR W. A. JUSTICE, M.B., C.M., D.P.H., I.M.S.,
Sanitary Commissioner, Madras,
To
THE SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNMENT OF MADRAS,
LOCAL AND MUNICIPAL DEPARTMENT.
SIR,
I have the honour to forward herewith the report of the Director, King
Institute, Guindy, on the working of the Vaccine Section of the institute and
that of the Deputy Sanitary Commissioner, Madras, on the progress of vaccina-
tion in the Madras Presidency during the official year 1915-16.
2. Vaccine Section of the King Institute, Guindy.—The cost of the section fell
from Rs. 43,872 in 1914-15 to Rs. 41,814 in the year under report. The decrease
was principally under " establishment charges." As a result, the price of a
vaccine case fell from 4.28 pies in 1914-15 to 3.82 pies in 1915-16.
A regrettable feature of the year was the general low percentage of success
obtained with the vaccine prepared at the Institute. As explained by the
Director in paragraph 7 of his report, this should be attributed to the new method
of storing vaccine pulp in the raw condition and grinding and mixing it with
lanoline as required for issue. This having proved a failure was abandoned so
soon as the unsatisfactory results became apparent. The numbers which were
likely to be affected by this are relatively small and could not appreciably affect
the percentage of success. From enquiries made, it was ascertained that the fall
could be attributed to the general carelessness on the part of vaccinators and to
their delay in using up the lymph immediately after receipt, the intervals between
the dates of receipt of the lymph and the dates of operation sometimes exceeding
a week, in direct contravention of the general regulations laid down on the
subject. To stop this, strict orders have been issued to all vaccinators in the
mufassal to see that the instructions issued on the subject for the use of vaccine
are in no case to be departed from, any violation of them bringing on severe
punishment on those responsible. It is to be hoped that with the resumption of
the former method of preparing vaccine, the original conditions would soon be
restored. The continued low rate of success for a number of years in the
Coimbatore district requires further investigation. It was thought at first that
this was due to the inefficiency of the supervising staff in the district and that a
change in the personnel of the Deputy Inspectors of Vaccination would bring
about better results. Some transfers of the Deputy Inspectors of Vaccination
were accordingly effected ; but the expectations were not realized. The subject
is now engaging the serious attention of the Deputy Sanitary Commissioner who
has been asked to make an extensive tour in the district and find out where the
real defect lies and suggest remedial measures.
3. Vaccination Department.—The inspection work of the Deputy Sanitary
Commissioner during the year was, on the whole, satisfactory. If the full sanc-
tioned number of Deputy Sanitary Commissioners had been on duty, many more
tracts where vaccination was reported to be unsatisfactory would have been
inspected and the existing defects rectified wherever possible. I agree generally