9

23. Vaccination in municipal towns.—In 1925-26
the births registered in municipal towns and notified areas
were 53,740 and deaths among children under one year of
age were 12,373. Thus 41,367 remained alive and of this,
31,734 or 77 per cent were successfully vaccinated which
is less than the percentage vaccinated in 1924-25, viz. 88
In 1923-24 it was 76 per cent. The reason for the lower
percentage may be attributed to lack of supervision as in
the case of Jubbulpore where the Health Officer and his
assistants have only inspected 19 per cent of the total
vaccinations against the prescribed standard of 50 per cent,
and also to want of proper facilities for the vaccinators to
work. These two great defects generally exist in several
towns. On account of less work during the last year, the
balance of unprotected children has accumulated, but as the
continuance of such a large balance of unprotected children
is dangerous, the need for taking prompt action to get the
balance cleared off is urgently called for. At present small-
pox is already gaining ground in many places and it is feared
that the disease may assume endemic proportions. I hope
the Municipal Committees will take energetic action to work
off the balance of unprotected children as early as possible.

24.    During the course of my inspection tours I found
that vaccination work was not satisfactory in several towns
and drew the attention of the Committees to the importance
of the matter; but apathy and indifference still prevail with
the result that the advice given is not often followed. The
Civil Surgeon, Akola, in particular, brings to notice that
scanty attention is paid by the Municipal Committees in the
district to his recommendations in regard to vaccination work
and they remain as apathetic as ever.

25.    Deaths from small-pox.—Deaths from small-
pox numbered 2,938 against 1,911 in 1924-25 and 420 in
1923-24. Of the deaths recorded in 1925-26, about three-
fourths occurred in the Berar districts where the disease was
widespread and affected many towns and villages. The
increase in small-pox is due to the fact that year after year
a large number of children are left unvaccinated and this state
of affairs was anticipated by my predecessor two years ago
in the report for 1922-23. In order to check this preventable
waste of infant life, it is extremely important to secure as
complete vaccination as possible every year.