11
REPORT ON VACCINATION IN THE MADRAS PRESIDENCY
FOR THE YEAR 1917-18.
From Dr. K. T. MATTHEW, D.HY., D.P.H. (Cantab.), Deputy Sanitary Commis-
sioner and Inspector of Vaccination, Madras, to the Sanitary Commissioner
for Madras, No. 217, dated 26th June 1918.
I have the honour to submit the Annual Report on Vaccination in the
Madras Presidency for the year 1917-18.
2. Staff.—I continued to be in charge of all the three Deputy Sanitary
Commissioners' Ranges in the Presidency till the 28th February 1918 on which
date Dr. S. Jesudoss, the newly appointed Deputy Sanitary Commissioner, took
charge of the Southern Range. Since then I am in charge of the Northern and
Central Ranges.
The following statement shows the subordinate vaccination staffs employed
in the Presidency during the past two years :—
—
(1)
1916-17 ... ...
1917-18 ... ...
Deputy Inspectors.
First grade,
Rs. 70.
(2)
19
19
Second
grade,
Rs. 60.
(3)
23
20
Third grade,
Ra. 40.
(4)
40
48
First-class
vaccinators,
Rs. 20—15.
(5)
261
256
Second-class
vaccinators,
Rs. 12—10.
(6)
437
440
Third-class
vaccinators,
RS. 7—5.
(7)
151
165
Total
number of
vaccinators.
(8)
849
861
NOTE—These figures include the staffs employed in Bangalore and Secunderabad Cantonments and exclude
those on duty in the King Institute, Guindy. In the Institute five Deputy Inspectors of the first grade were
employed during the past year.
3. Inspections by the Deputy Sanitary Commissioners. — During the year
under report I inspected the municipalities of Dharapuram, Coimbatore, Hospet,
Chittoor, Kurnool, Mangalore and Vizagapatam and vaccination in the districts
of Chittoor, Cuddapah, South Arcot, Malabar, the Nilgiris, Tinnevelly, South
Kanara, Vizagapatam and Koraput. The number of villages and towns other
than municipalities inspected in these districts was 229 and the total number of
cases of vaccination verified was 3,288. A good number of cases was also verified
in the municipal towns inspected. A class for the training of Plague Inspectors was
opened at the King Institute, Guindy, on 15th March 1918, with 49 students from
different parts of the Presidency. The preliminary arrangements and lectures in
connexion with it kept me at head-quarters practically throughout March and
the following month. The two batches of students trained by the District Medical
and Sanitary Officer, Kurnool, for Plague Inspector's work were examined by
me and certificates given to those found fit.
Dr. Jesudoss during the one month he was in charge of the Southern Range
inspected the Srirangam Municipality and visited 9 villages in the Malabar
district where he verified 267 cases of vaccination.
4. (i) Vaccination.—The trial scheme of vaccination continued to be in force
during the year in the whole of Chingleput district and in selected areas of North
Arcot, South Arcot and Madura districts. The cry for many years past in the
Presidency has been the poor pay and prospects offered to vaccinators and the
consequent inferior quality of hands available and employed for this work.
During the year under report, the Government have passed orders in G.O.
No. 963 L., dated 4th July 1917, for the reorganization of the subordinate
vaccination establishments considerably improving the pay and prospects of
vaccinators and of Deputy Inspectors of Vaccination. The minimum pay of
vaccinators under this order is Rs. 15 with a fixed travelling allowance of
Rs. 10 a month and the maximum Rs. 40 also with a fixed travelling allowance of