§ SIR JOHN SWINBURNE (Staffordshire, Lichfield)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether it is a fact that Sir William White has received a Petition from the Christian inhabitants of Zeitoun, in Armenia, which contains the allegation that 400 children have died from the effects of poison intentionally introduced into the system when they were vaccinated by a doctor acting under the orders and direction of the Turkish Governor, Salih Pasha?
§ SIR J. FERGUSSONNo such Petition has, so far as we know, been received by Sir William White, but a letter was addressed to Her Majesty's Consul at Aleppo on October 21 last containing the incredible statement that 400 children had been vaccinated with intentionally poisoned lymph by a doctor sent by the Governor for the purpose, and had died in consequence. As I have already stated, Sir William White has taken steps to inquire into the truth of the varying statements that have been made respecting occurrences at Zeitoun.