REPORT OF THE KING INSTITUTE, GUINDY
11
success rates given for 1917-18 and the results for 1918-19 have been plotted in
against them.
A study of the curves produced by these two sets of figures reveals some
interesting and important facts. It will be seen at once that the fall in the
district success rate which has occurred this year is confined almost without
exception to the 13 most successful districts of the previous year. The rates in
the remaining 11 districts are substantially the same for both years. The drop
in some districts is almost dramatic. Kurnool which has headed the list for
so many years is now 23rd in the list and the districts of Trichinopoly and
Vizagapatam fall to the 19th and 20th places. On the other hand, Madura,
Gānjam, Malabār and South Kanara rise from comparatively low positions to 2nd,
3rd, 4th and 5th places, respectively. The Nilgiris alone of those districts which
gave successful results last year has maintained its position. The district is a
hilly one, however, and conditions are here favourable for successful vaccination
throughout the year.
The interpretation of these results, if other conditions, such as the efficacy
of the vaccine, can be shown to be the same, is of great interest and importance. It
would appear that the new system of independent verification has been much more
effective in demonstrating the true position of vaccination in the Presidency than
the old one. In the ten districts which stood lowest last year independent
verification has produced little or no effect upon the success rate and the results
obtained can therefore be accepted as approximately correct. In 12 out of the
13 most successful districts, however, the change in organization has brought
about a considerable diminution in the number of successful vaccinations, and the
conclusion, that the results obtained in previous years have been unduly inflated,
is unavoidable.
It is of interest to note that the new system has had little or no effect in
altering the returns submitted by the three worst districts, Nellore, Gōdavari
and Coimbatore. It is probable therefore that some special deterrent factor must
be at work to account for the persistently low results which are a feature of these
districts.
TABLE VII.
Statement showing the percentage of success obtained in certain districts selected for comparison
in each of the last five years.
Serial
number.
1
2
3
4
5
Districts.
Bellary
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Anantapur ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
Kurnool
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Gōdāvari
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Coimbatore
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
1914-15.
96.81
94.35
96.82
81.46
76.59
1915-16.
96.58
92.24.
96.64
70.93
70.99
1916-17.
95.12
90.64
96.85
68.34
68.72
1917-18.
93.29
88.49
96.84
61.11
68.11
1918-19.
75.83
79.52
66.00
62.25
66.83
Average
91.52
89.04
90.66
68.80
70.24
TABLE VIII.
Statement showing the percentage of success obtained in the different months of the year
for five years and the average for each month during that time.
Serial
number.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Months.
April ... ... ... ... ... ...
May ... ... ... ... ... ...
June ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
July ... ... ... ... ... ...
August ... ... ... ... ... ...
September ... ... ... ... ... ...
October ... ... ... ... ... ...
November ... ... ... ... ... ...
December ... ... ... ... ... ...
January ... ... ... ... ... ...
February ... ... ... ... ... ...
March ... ... ... ... ... ...
1914-15.
95.76
92.85
92.87
93.19
92.65
92.14
90.64
90.33
86.82
87.24
87.91
87.45
1915-16.
84.26
82.62
81.49
83.27
79.86
81.75
92.18
92.76
93.28
92.82
93.74
92.48
1916-17.
38.51
84.00
82.55
86.22
83.73
87.07
90.03
89.21
86.25
89.28
86.88
88.04
1917-18.
79.80
75.30
74.40
70.71
78.89
83.61
88.27
85.67
91.92
90.63
88.94
86.19
1918-19.
73.95
72.13
65.34
66.53
77.83
73.35
66.50
85.52
85.86
85.25
89.43
87.55
Average.
84.45
81.38
79.33
79.98
82.60
83.58
85.52
88.69
88.82
89.04
89.38
88.34