§ MR. HOPWOODasked the President of the Local Government Board, Whether his attention has been called to the statement of Mr. Walter Dunlop, Medical Officer of Saint Pancras Workhouse, that— 1350
The inmates numbered about 2,000. He had to see every person on admission and visit about 1,000 of them daily;whether this gentleman is the same who asserted that he had vaccinated about 1,500 mothers within a few hours after their delivery; whether such numerous and responsible duties can be performed with sufficient care by one man; and, whether he has yet expressed, or intends to express, his sanction of the vaccination of women in workhouses within a few hours after their delivery?
MR. GEORGE RUSSELLSir, the Board have communicated with Mr. Dunlop, the Medical Officer of the St. Pancras Workhouse, and he has informed them that at a recent inquest he stated that sometimes in winter the inmates of the workhouse numbered nearly 2,000; that he had to see every person admitted into the receiving wards, and that he was medically responsible for about 1,000 inmates—namely, those in the sick, infirm, insane, lying-in, and nursery wards; which wards, with the exception of the lying-in ward, were visited by him daily. Mr. Dunlop stated that he had vaccinated 1,500 mothers at early periods after confinement. He informs the Board that the usual time within which vaccination was performed was from the 7th to the 14th day after confinement. With regard to the duties of Mr. Dunlop, it is to be observed that the severer cases of sickness are not relieved in the workhouse, but are received into the infirmary belonging to the parish at Highgate, where there is accommodation for more than 500 cases. Although there may be 1,000 inmates in the workhouse wards, which are visited by Mr. Dunlop, it is comparatively only a small proportion of this number that requires to be seen by him each day. The duties of the Medical Officer of the workhouse are, no doubt, arduous; but, having regard to the number and character of the cases visited by him, the Board at present possess no evidence that those duties are not performed with sufficient care. With respect to the Question as to whether the Board approve the vaccination of women within a few hours after delivery, a similar Question was answered on the 11th of last month, and the Board informed Mr. Dunlop of the effect of the reply given to that Question.
§ MR. HOPWOODWhat was the answer given?
MR. GEORGE RUSSELLMy impression is, that the effect of the answer was that the Local Government Board would be glad to see the risk of vaccination dissociated, as far as possible, from the necessary risk of confinement.