No. 1876 S. (Home—Medl. & Sany.).

FROM

                            THE HON'BLE MR. C. A. BARRON, C.I.E., I.C.S.,

                                                                        Financial Secretary to Government, Punjab,

To

                            THE SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA,

                                                                        EDUCATION DEPARTMENT.

                                                    Dated Simla, 28th July 1915.

Home.

Medical & Sanitary.
SIR,

I AM directed to forward, for the information of the Government of India,
a copy of the Sanitary Commissioner's notes on vaccination in the Punjab during
the year 1914-15. The comparative freedom of the Province from small-pox
during the year has resulted in a substantial decrease in the demand for revacci-
nation, the number of operations falling from 216,286 to 165,378. The number
of primary vaccinations, however, was practically the same as in the preceding
year.

2.     The ratio of successful operations continues to be high, and it is satis-
factory to observe that the improvement in the ratio of successful primary vacci-
nations of children of under one year of age to the total number available, noticed
in last year's figures, has been maintained.

Revaccination has always been viewed with some disfavour by the people
of the Province, and it is perhaps natural that opposition to it should be greater
in the case of females than of males. The difference, between the percentages of
males and females revaccinated during the year, 68.55 and 31.45 respectively, is
very noticeable, but the overcoming of popular prejudices in this respect is not an
easy matter.

3.     Attention was drawn last year to the large number of revaccinations
performed by the special staff and the apparent neglect of infants. His Honour
notes that the Sanitary Commissioner has taken steps to remedy this state of
affairs. The results of this year show a considerable improvement on last year's
figures, vaccinations of children under one year of age having risen to 8,489
from 5,885, while the total of revaccinations fell from 32,886 to 23,738.

4.     His Honour regrets to notice that there has been no appreciable im-
provement in the protection from small-pox of infants of under one year of age
in municipal towns. During the year under report the Vaccination Act has been
extended to Alipur and Sialkot and more recently to Palwal. Appendix A
attached to the report shows that there is still a large number of municipal towns
in which the Act is not in force, and the Lieutenant-Governor again proposes to
impress on Municipal Committees the extreme desirability of having the Act
applied to the areas under their jurisdiction.

5.     The Punjab Vaccine Institute continues to work well. The scheme
for training all vaccinators at the Institute has now been sanctioned. Instruction
will be given not only in the technique of vaccination, but also in the principles of
elementary hygiene and village sanitation.

                                                                    I have the honour to be,
                                                                                SIR,
                                                                Your most obedient servant,

                                                                        C. A. BARRON,
                                                                    Financial Secretary to Government, Punjab,