§ MR. COBBI beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he is aware that in the year 1891 there were two fatal cases of malignant small-pox in the King's Norton Union—namely, those of Henry Burnett and George Weake; that in the case of Henry Burnett no official record has been made, either on the certificate of death or by the Medical Officer, that he had been vaccinated and that this was proved by four large marks; and that in the case of George Weake the Medical Officer, in his annual Report, stated that it was a case of the most malignant kind, and that, as far as he could glean, there had been no proper vaccination, as no marks were visible; whether his attention has been drawn to the statement of George Weake's widow and two elder daughters that he had two large and remarkably deep marks of vaccination on his left arm, and also to the father's statement that he remembers his being vaccinated; and whether he will cause inquiries to be made into both of these cases, with a view of having truthful official records of them entered?
§ *THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. RITCHIE,) Tower Hamlets, St. George'sI have received no information that there were two fatal cases of small-pox in the King's Norton Union during the year 1891. The only representations; that I have received on the subject are to the effect that there was one such case, which would appear to be that of George Weake. As regards this case, 153 I have been informed during the present week that certain relatives of the deceased alleged that he bore marks of vaccination, and that the father of the man remembers his being vaccinated. On the other hand, the Medical Officer of Health in his annual Report, distinctly states that no vaccination marks were visible. It does not, however, appear to me that there is any sufficient ground for an inquiry with regard to these conflicting statements.
§ MR. COBBIt is very important to have correct information of such cases. Will the right hon. Gentleman have further inquiries made, and also into the case of Henry Burnett?
§ *MR. RITCHIEI have no information as to the other case; but I presume what I have said of the one case, would apply to the other. I think it would be extremely difficult from any inquiry made now to ascertain the facts of the case in connection with people who are now dead. I do not see how it is possible to obtain correct information. But, even if it were possible, I do not think it is denied that persons who were vaccinated in their youth, and who have not been re-vaccinated in later life, are liable to attacks of small-pox.