23
15. The following tables exhibit the comparative success obtained by the use
of different kinds of lymph in primary vaccination including secondary :—
Number of cases
excluding
unknown.
Area.
Kind of lymph.
Whence obtained.
Percentage of
success.
Northern Range.
343,884
.....
19,515
Local Fund
Do.
Municipalities ...
Do. ...
Lanoline lymph ...
Glycerine „ ...
...
Lanoline
„ ...
...
Glycerine „ ...
...
Supplied by the King Institute of
Preventive Medicine, Guindy.
Do.
Do.
Do.
73.6
...
86.1
...
Central Range.
310,652
21,007
17,814
Local Fund
Do.
Municipalities ...
Do.
Lanoline lymph... ...
Glycerine „
Lanoline
„
Glycerine
Supplied by the King Institute of
Preventive Medicine, Guindy.
Do.
Do.
Do.
77.6
...
93.4
97.5
The tables show that there has been a fall in the success rate and this has
already been commented on in paragraph 9 supra. Even with glycerine
lymph which is supplied only to the Madras Corporation where medical men
are employed as vaccinators, there has been a slight fall of 0.8 per cent in the
success rate.
16. There was a total of 32,394 deaths from smallpox reported during the
calendar year 1918 in the Northern and Central Ranges against 15,925 in 1917,
i.e., the number of deaths from smallpox during 1918 is more than double
that of the previous year, but the prevalence of smallpox was to some extent
overshadowed by the epidemic of influenza. It is to be remembered that
there was a considerable increase in the number of smallpox deaths in 1917 itself
over that of 1916. It is unnecessary to hold forth at this time of the day that
vaccination is the only sure prophylactic against smallpox, that every effort should
be made to extend it, and that the money devoted to the purpose is well spent.
The districts which returned a very large number of deaths during the year
are Guntūr (4,872), North Arcot (4,576), South Arcot (4,369), Kistna (3,590) and
Vizagapatam (3,341).
17. The work of all the Deputy Inspectors of Vaccination with a few excep
tions has been fair. It is due to their exertions that so much has been accomplished
during the year in spite of the many difficulties encountered.
18. All the Deputy Inspectors of Vaccination have verified more than 50 per
cent with the exception of the Deputy Inspector of Vaccination, Aska Range, who
verified only 49.5 per cent. His explanation for the shortness of verification is
satisfactory. Twelve of the Deputy Inspectors verified over 90 per cent of the
cases vaccinated.
Under the new scheme, in all the local fund areas, the Deputy Inspectors
have to verify all the cases vaccinated instead of 50 per cent as heretofore, i.e., the
work of the Deputy Inspector has been doubled or has risen by 100 per cent, although
the increase in their number is only under 30 per cent. There are even now many
ranges with over 600 villages scattered over a large area and it would indeed be
very difficult for the Deputy Inspector to visit all the villages and verify all the
cases once a year unless the local officials responsible for the collection of cases
do their duty promptly and well. There is also no doubt that some districts are
in need of increase in the number of Deputy Inspectors.
Owing to the difficulty experienced in the complete verification of cases in
almost all the ranges, the services of one or more vaccinators were requisitioned
towards the close of the year for verification to enable the Deputy Inspectors to
submit their annual returns in time.