§ MR. MELDONasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland, If it is a fact that in England the expense of obtaining vaccine lymph for the purposes of compulsory vaccination is defrayed by the State, whereas in Ireland Poor Law Unions and Dispensary districts must contribute to the cost; if there is any reason why the 1084 same facilities for obtaining lymph as existed prior to August 1871 should not be accorded to medical practitioners in Ireland; and, if any objections exist why Ireland should not be placed on the same footing as England in respect to the gratuitous supply of vaccine lymph, either by supplying the same from London, or by increasing the grant to the Dublin Cow Pock Institution, so as to enable it to supply vaccine lymph, which is now charged for, to be given gratuitously?
§ SIR MICHAEL HICKS-BEACHSir, in England a gratuitous supply of vaccine lymph is provided by the State for these who choose to avail themselves of it, whereas in Ireland subscriptions of one guinea a-year are paid by the various Unions to the Dublin Cow Pock Institution for whatever supply of lymph they may require. This 'Institution is also supported by other subscriptions, by money received for the sale of lymph, and by a Government Grant of £400 a-year. As a matter of fact, however, I am informed that the bulk of the public vaccinators in Ireland prefer storing and using their own lymph to any supply from London or Dublin, whether gratuitous or paid for. In order to ensure a gratuitous supply of lymph in Ireland as in England, it would require that the present grant of £400 a-year should at least be doubled; and whether that sum can be given is a question more for the decision of the Treasury than for myself. But, if such an arrangement were made, I think the management of the matter should be intrusted, as in England, to the Local Government Board, rather than to the Dublin Cow Pock Institution, which is in the nature of a private Institution.