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and the state of vaccination in them brought to the notice of the district
authorities. It is very important that the village officers should always readily
communicate the smallpox reports to the proper authorities, who should also
promptly deal with them. Instances of remissness in this direction observed
during my tours of inspection were taken then and there to the notice of the Local
Boards.
Malabar, where the epidemic assumed a virulent form about the beginning
of 1919 in Pounāni, was specially visited by me in March 1919 and special recom
mendations with a view to tackle the situation effectively were made to the district
authorities in my report D. No. 245-S.R., dated 3rd April 1919. The total number
of re-vaccinations done in this range alone were 10,849, of which 6,567 were
returned as successful.
(x) Deputy Inspectors' inspection.—The proportion of cases inspected within
the year to the total number vaccinated is very poor in the case of Rāmnād (47.9
per cent), Ariyalur (48.6 per cent), Kovilpatti (53.5 per cent), Srīvaikuntam (57.8
per cent), Manamadura (58.6 per cent) and Pattukkōttai (61 per cent), and separate
action is being taken on the conduct of the Deputy Inspectors concerned. The
following Deputy Inspectors returned a large number of absentees under Pri
mary in their Annual Returns:—Pattukkōttai (38.5 per cent), Manamadura (28.9
per cent), Negapatam (27.2 per cent), South Coimbatore (22.7 per cent) and
Srīvaikuntam (22.9 per cent).
Deputy Inspector of Vaccination, Pattukkōttai, who left en bloc very many
villages unvisited, has no explanation to offer; while the other Deputy Inspec
tors attribute the large number of absentees to the non-co-operation of the village
officials at their inspection. In none of the above ranges—it has to be noted—was
vaccination compulsory throughout.
5. Although it may be too soon to pass any remarks on the working of the
new scheme, as it has been in force only for just a year and that too quite an
abnormal one owing to the wide prevalence of influenza which markedly affected
vaccination throughout the range, it must be observed that, the monthly returns of
the Deputy Inspectors were, except in rare instances, all received long after the
due dates. Out of 35 Deputy Inspectors in my range, 18 had to be given the
help of vaccinators in verification work for not less than a month to clear up their
arrears so as to enable them to submit their annual returns in time, while the
Deputy Inspectors of Trichinopoly district had to be given the help of all the
vaccinators for over two months as observed in paragraph 4 supra.
This more or less general delay that obtained more in certain districts and
less in others raises up, for future consideration, the question of (1) re-allotment of
Deputy Inspectors' ranges wherever they are disproportionately distributed at
present and (2) perhaps also of an increase in the staff of Deputy Inspectors.
6. The delay in the submission of this report is solely due to the Deputy
Inspectors of Trichinopoly district and particularly the Deputy Inspector of
Ariyalur whose annual returns were received in this office only on 8th July 1919
in spite of repeated telegraphic warnings and reminders.
Their conduct is being separately reported upon.
7. I record with pleasure the good services done by the ministerial staff of
my office.