§ Mr. CHANNING (Northampton, E.)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been called to the evidence given at the inquest on an infant of one month, named Ellen Madd, at the Holborn Town Hall, on 2nd April, from which it appears that the child was born in the workhouse, was too feeble from its birth to take either breast or bottle, and that it was vaccinated on the third day without the consent of the mother having been obtained; whether his attention has been called to the rider added by the jury to their verdict, protesting against the workhouse rule of vaccinating children within three days of birth; and whether, having regard to the circumstances of this and similar cases, he will direct an alteration of the rule, and place children born in workhouses or hospitals in the same position as other children as regards the Vaccination Laws?
§ *MR. RITCHIEI have made inquiry of the Guardians as to this case, and obtained a copy of the depositions taken at the inquest. It appears from the report of the medical officer of the workhouse that the child was vaccinated on the fourth day after its birth, and that at that time and when it left the workhouse, three weeks afterwards, it was perfectly healthy. According to the evidence of the mother she was not able to suckle the child, but it was fed with the help of the bottle. There was no suggestion at the inquest 1234 by the mother or anyone else that vaccination was in any way concerned in the death of the child. The medical officer of the workhouse states that no vaccination is performed without the knowledge of the mother, and that if any objection were made by her, the child would not be vaccinated by him. With regard to the alleged protest by the jury, the note of the coroner is as follows:—"Some discussion among the jury followed as to the advisability of vaccinating infants at a very early period, and ultimately they determined to leave the matter in the hands of the Guardians," but they added a rider to their verdict, asking the Guardians' consideration as to the advisability of continuing the practice of vaccinating children at so early an age. It is to be borne in mind that if children born in a workhouse are not vaccinated before their discharge, they commonly escape vaccination altogether, and the Local Government Board are advised that there is no medical reason against early vaccination in the case of healthy children.
§ MR. PICTON (Leicester)May I ask whether the express consent of the mother was asked, or was the vaccination carried out in the absence of any audible refusal?
§ *MR. RITCHIEThe consent of the mother was not expressly asked, but she was informed before the vaccination took place, and she raised no objection. Had she raised an objection the vaccination would not have taken place.