HC Deb 26 May 1881 vol 261 cc1316-7
MR. P. A. TAYLOR

asked the President of the Local Government Board. Whether his attention has been directed to the fact that an absolute diversity of opinion exists at this moment amongst our highest medical authorities in regard to certain lymph still used, Sir Thomas Watson declaring that the lymph which has been largely used at Brighton and elsewhere for the last forty years is variolous, and such as "must have spread about a vast amount of mitigated smallpox;" while Dr. Carpenter asserts that— No vaccinator could be charged with propagating smallpox even though it were put beyond doubt that his vaccine lymph had been remotely derived from a smallpox pustule; and, whether he does not think it would be safer to discontinue the practice of vaccination altogether until at least our highest medical authorities can agree upon the not unimportant point as to whether the lymph employed is a protection against smallpox, or whether it may not be simply an agent for the diffusion of smallpox?

MR. DODSON

I believe that Sir Thomas Watson did use the words quoted in a letter to The British Medical Journal for January 17, 1880. In a subsequent letter, however, to that journal, on February 28, 1880, he says, referring to an important paper by Mr. Ceely, of which he had no previous knowledge— A careful study of it has convinced me that I have been in error respecting the mutual relations between small-pox and cow-pox. I hasten, as in duty and honour bound, to acknowledge my mistake, and to apologize to the gentleman upon whose measures upon this subject I have commented. I cannot admit that there is any substantial difference among the highest medical authorities upon the point as to whether the lymph employed is a protection against small-pox, or whether it may not be simply an agent for the diffusion of small-pox, as the great bulk of the Profession are agreed that the lymph employed in vaccination is, if successfully inserted into the human subject, a protection against small-pox, and not a means to its diffusion. At the same time, if all measures for preventing or curing disease in regard to which a difference among doctors may be found are to be postponed until they all agree, not only would vaccination, but medical treatment altogether, have to be suspended indefinitely.