Page:The Indian Journal of Medical Research, 1920.djvu/16

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The Vaccine Institute, Belgaum.


At this time Hutchinson's work was very much hampered; sufficient funds, staff and suitable buildings, in which to prepare his supplies of preserved lymph, were all wanting. The work was begun and carried on, for some time, in a stable in Belgaum town. When he was able to show that his lymph was proving a success, further funds were forthcoming and some kutcha buildings were rented about two miles from Belgaum in August 1904. The Institute was then called Belgaum Vaccine Institute and its staff consisted of a Superintendent, three vaccinators and two servants.

The new Institute, in this way, fulfilled the double purpose of preparing a reliable vaccine lymph and serving as a training school for Inspectors of Sanitation and Vaccination and vaccinators.

The result of this system of training the vaccinating staff was at once apparent in improved results in the towns and districts which were worked by the trained men. Every effort was made, accordingly, to get as many of the vaccinators as possible passed through the Institute for training and in the very distant districts, such as those of Gujerat, the Inspectors only were brought for training and the Deputy Sanitary Commissioner of the District was able, with the help of these trained Inspectors, to instruct his staff of vaccinators at convenient centres. The results obtained since 1906-07 are shown in the following table:—

Encouraged by the success already obtained, Hutchinson drew up, and sent in to Government, a scheme for the acquisition of 176 acres and 35 gunthas of land about 2½ miles to the south of Belgaum. Plans were drawn up for the erection of a Vaccine Institute on the most modern