OFFICE OF SANITARY COMMISSIONER,
CAMP, COONOOR, 20th July 1905.
No. 1180/ V.
From
LIEUT.-COLONEL W. G. KING, C.I.E., I.M.S.,
Sanitary Commissioner for Madras,
To
THE SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT,
LOCAL AND MUNICIPAL DEPARTMENT.
SIR,
I have the honour to forward herewith the Report on Vaccination in this
Presidency during 1904-1905, and on the working of the King Institute of Pre-
ventive Medicine. The former is written by Captain F. F. Elwes, I.M.S., Acting
Inspector of Vaccination and Deputy Sanitary Commissioner, and the latter by
Lieutenant S. R. Christophers, I.M.S., Superintendent of the Institute. I regret it
was not possible to submit them on the correct date. This was owing to the fact
that, by a misunderstanding, it was not originally intended to show the cost of
vaccine. To rectify the omission, the figures of the Report were re-cast.
2. In regard to the Vaccination Report, the chief interest centres in the fact
that, for the first time, the vaccinators have been supplied with preserved animal
vaccine from the Vaccine Section of the King Institute. Two results are obvious :
firstly, the increased outturn, namely, 90,502 successful cases in excess of the previous
year and, secondly, the decreased cost of each successful case. The first is brought
about by opportunities of securing vaccine being practically unlimited, as any
required amount can be always sent to a vaccinator in excess of his average
requirements, at the shortest notice ; the second is due to the economy with which,
under normal circumstances, a large production of vaccine can be secured by a
single skilled staff employed at a definite point, as compared with the use of
numerous petty depots scattered throughout the Presidency. There has thus been
effected, at the rate of 2 pies for each successful case, a total saving of Rs. 12,944.
This diminished expenditure on the part of local bodies should go well towards
their contribution for the year, on account of the prime cost of the buildings of the
Vaccine Section of the Institute.
3. There is however a reverse side of the picture. In Municipalities the
primary vaccination success rate has decreased from 97.0 to 94.0 per cent. and
Local Fund areas from 91.0 to 86.9 per cent. Roughly judged, this would seem
clear proof that the preserved vaccine supplied has been of less efficacy than the
mixed methods of calf-to-arm vaccine, locally made glycerinized vaccine, locally
made lanoline-vaccine, and even the use of scabs as hitherto practised.
4. To arrive at a clear judgment in this matter, it is necessary to remember
that the districts were not all supplied from the commencement of the year, but
that they were taken up gradually as their own contracts or other arrangements
fell through, or, as, by gradual expansion, the Institute was able to meet their
demands. Indeed, Tanjore was not supplied till the 1st of April 1905—the inclusion
of this district making the supply for the whole Presidency complete. It will be
therefore understood that the total percentage includes the results for 123,394
which were vaccinated with " locally made glycerinized lymph" which gave a
percentage of only 84.8 per cent. Again, to bring together the necessary staff,
to. render each individual acquainted with his duties and understand how essential