15
Major Buchanan, I.M.S., was supplied with 100 tubes in November 1899. He reports in a letter to
the Principal Medical Officer, Assam, as follows:
" Very excellent results were obtained. The results have been extremely successful, not
only in the high percentage of insertion success, but in the very typical resulting vesicles. I have
vaccinated now in four central jails in Bengal over 1,200 prisoners yearly, but I have never seen
better or more typical vesicles. They are as near aseptic vaccination as is possible on native
skins. I have no doubt that your glycerine capillary lymph is much superior to the lanoline lymph
prepared at the Darjeeling depôt, which we ordinarily use."
TRIAL OF ASSAM GLYCERINE LYMPH, ADULTS ONLY.
Eleven unprotected primary vaccinations, of which all were successful in 4 insertions each =
100 per cent.
Twenty re-vaccinations in cases which had marks of previous successful vaccination ; twelve
were successful in 4 points each = 60 per cent.
Twenty secondary vaccinations in cases which had marks of previous inoculation, all success-
ful in 4 points each = 100 per cent.
Four secondary vaccination in cases showing marks of previous small-pox ; all successful in
4 points each = 100 per cent.
One case successful in 2 points out of 4 insertions (not shown whether primary or secondary
vaccination, probably secondary).
From the above it will be seen that of primary vaccinations the percentage of successful was
100 per cent. and of secondary vaccinations 82 per cent.
Experiments.
Certain experiments were made during the year both as regards the composition of glycerine
lymph and the length it will keep. It was found that glycerine
lymph of the proportion of 1 part solid vesicle to as much as
4 parts glycerine and 4 parts distilled water was as effective as equal parts, but that it did not
retain its efficiency nearly as long. Glycerine lymph in the proportion of 1 part solid vesicle,
1 part glycerine, and I part distilled water, i.e., 33 per cent. prepared on 29th July 1899 was tried on
the 31st January 1900 and 6th February 1900 in the presence of the Principal Medical Officer and
Sanitary Commissioner. Eleven cases were operated on, and in each case every puncture or scari-
fication was a perfect success. This lymph had been kept in the depôt for over 6 months for experi-
mental purposes, and was as efficacious as at the time of manufacture. At the same time some lymph
brought from Sylhet and manufactured in September 1898 was tried, but proved a failure in every
case. The scarifications simply dried up, showing the lymph was inert. Two thousand
tubes manufactured on 11th February and 15th February 1900 were forwarded to the Principal
Medical Officer and Sanitary Commissioner, Assam, to be kept for experiment next season. This
will be an interesting experiment to see if lymph will keep in the plains through a hot weather
if not exposed to sun-light or heat, i.e., if simply kept shut up in a wooden box. I believe this
will prove to be the case.
The proportion of the lymph for these experiments is 1,000 tubes 33 per cent., i.e., lymph 1
part, glycerine 1¼ parts, sterilized distilled water ¾ part; 500 tubes 40 per cent., i.e., lymph 1 part,
glycerine 1 part, sterilized distilled water ½ part; 500 tubes 33 per cent., i.e., lymph 1 part,
glycerine 1½ parts, sterilized distilled water ½ part.
Remarks on Hospital Assistant.
Second-grade Hospital Assistant Kamal Charan Datta has been in charge throughout the year,
with the exception of one month, when he was absent on privilege
leave. I cannot speak too highly of his work. He has been of
great assistance also in superintending the erection of the new depôt, and it is mainly through
his assistance I have been able to carry out the buildings of the vaccine depôt in such a satis-
factory manner.
General remarks.
During the past year a new depôt has been built. It consists
of—
A house for the Hospital Assistant.
Two buildings of ten stalls each for inoculated calves.
one building for unprotected calves.
one „ „ protected „ .
one „ containing an operating room and the office in which loading of tubes is carried out.
one „ of six stalls for sick calves, besides out-houses.
The buildings are all completed, also the water-supply, drainage, etc. All that remains now
to be done is to put up boundary pillars and wire railing to protect the buildings and the straw
for bedding which is stored in the centre of the site and to prevent calves straying or outside
calves trespassing. This will be carried out by the Public Works Department during the coming
year, as Government has sanctioned the money for it. Certain minor improvements should also be
carried out by the Civil Surgeon. The new contract for calves is practically the same as last year,
but insists on the contractor providing proper housing accommodation and arrangements for
tending and feeding the calves before delivery to the depôt.
R. N. CAMPBELL, M.B., Lieut.-Col.,I.M.S,
Civil Surgeon, Shillong.