D. No.
925/V
OFFICE OF THE SANITARY COMMISSIONER,
MADRAS, 21st August 1919.
From
DR. K. T. MATTHEW, D.HY., D.P.H. (CANTAB),
Acting Sanitary Commissioner for the Government of Madras,
To
THE SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT,
LOCAL AND MUNICIPAL DEPARTMENT.
SIR,
I have the honour to forward herewith the reports of the Director, King
Institute, Guindy, on the working of the Vaccine Section of the Institute and
the Deputy Sanitary Commissioners, Northern, Central and Southern Ranges, on
the progress of vaccination in the Madras Presidency during the official year
1918-19.
2. Vaccine Section of the King Institute, Guindy.—(i) The Director's report on
the working of this section is interesting and calls for but few remarks. In
paragraph 7 of the report and the several tables and chart attached thereto, the
Director shows pretty conclusively that the complaints about the quality of the
lymph issued by the Institute are ill-founded and that the reasons for the bad
results of vaccination found generally in the Presidency should be sought for
elsewhere.
(ii) The cost of working of the section rose from Rs. 43,319 in 1917-18
to Rs. 55,890 in the year under report. The increase occurred mainly under
" Establishment Charges" due to the payment during 1918-19 of over three
years' arrears of salary to the Acting Assistant Director of the Institute and under
" Supplies and Services—Contingencies" due to the high prices that prevailed
during the year on account of war. This increased cost had the effect of raising
the cost price of vaccine from 4.04 pies per case in 1917-18 to 5.19 pies per case
in 1918-19.
(iii) The vaccine was prepared throughout the year on the old method of
manufacture, the bulk of the lymph supplied being lanolinated. The supply of
glycerinated vaccine was, as usual, restricted to Madras City and Colombo.
The total quantity of vaccine supplied by the Institute during 1918-19 was
2,128,590 cases against 2,090,999 in 1917-18 and 2,113,697, the record figure
of 1915-16. The increase was very marked under supplies to the Military
Department, the number of cases taken by the said department being 90,375
against 44,655 in the previous year. Supplies to local bodies of lanolinated
vaccine were made fortnightly during the whole of the first quarter of 1918-19.
From 1st July 1918 tri-monthly issues were made generally, excepting a few
tracts, in order to give better effect to the scheme sanctioned in G.O. No. 963 L.,
dated 4th July 1917, which relieved the vaccinators of all verification work
and made them pay their whole attention to vaccination work proper. These
frequent supplies did not produce the improvement wished for and much cannot
be expected in this direction until the personnel of the present vaccination staff is
thoroughly overhauled.
The regrettable feature of the year is the lowest success rate of 76.60 per
cent recorded since the King Institute undertook the preparation and supply
of vaccine lymph. The Director has dwelt at some length with the causes that
operated to bring about this result. His conclusions are, I should say, correct.
It is trusted that this matter will engage the serious attention of all those who
are responsible for the good working of the department and that they will adopt
measures to bring about a better condition of things.