2

7.    The disparity between the sexes, which was formerly so
great, has, by more careful registration, been reduced; and last year
the males were 52.8 to 47.2 females in each 100, being a difference
of 5.6, whereas in 1866 this amounted to 10.

8.     The percentages of caste are much the same as for several
years back.

9.     There was an increase in the number of infantile vaccina-
tions of 37,059, which is more than half the total increase ; the
percentage of children under one year in the total vaccinated is 38, or
1.2 higher than in the preceding year. Dr. Pinkerton thinks that
probably 41 or 42 per cent. of infantile vaccinations is about the
highest that can be reached by an itinerant establishment, such as
ours is. In this view I concur. But where large populations are
stationary, as in Bombay City, a much higher ratio can be obtained—
thus in Bombay City last year the rate was 65.3 per cent. I regret
to observe that the Southern Circle returns show only 25 per cent. of
infantile vaccinations, or 13 per cent. less than the average for
the whole Presidency. I recognize the general improvement which
has taken place last year in the Southern Circle, and trust that
Surgeon Raby will, in his next report, be able to show in this
particular, as well as in general, more favourable results. All
thorough vaccination must aim at protecting infant life, because in-
fants suffer most, both actually and relatively, from small-pox when
unprotected.

10. The success in primary vaccinations was 94.8, which is
only a little higher than in the preceding year (0.2). It was
highest in Sindh, and lowest in the Presidency and Southern Circles.
In re-vaccinations it was 65.7 in the general returns; but in the army
returns it was 48.2, which the Superintendent General thinks more
likely to be corrrct. Dr. Pinkerton notices the difficulty in the way
of attaining uniformity in noting the results of re-vaccination, and
he states, " it is difficult to fix an arbitrary standard of success in
re-vaccination, and most medical men even record differently : thus
one will register a success, even though the vaccine vesicle has run
its course to a pustule in five days ; another considers that all the
typical manifestations must be observed."

11. The lymph in all the Circles was good and abundant,
except in the Presidency Circle, where during July and August the
animal lymph failed. Dr. Cola remarks on the tendency of the
lymph to degenerate in Gujarath during the rainy season, but the
Superintendent General believes that carefully selected vesicles and
children, with carefully performed operations, are quite equal to
meet and obviate this. The tendency to degeneration is probably
greatest in the hot season everywhere ; but even then, there is no
difficulty in carrying on vaccination, as the work in Sind and the
Presidency Circles, which have the extremes of heat and moisture,