§ MR. HOPWOOD (Lancashire, S. E., Middleton)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Local Government Board whether he is aware of the distribution of a pamphlet, entitled Facts Concerning Vaccination for Heads of Families, which bears upon the first page the words "Revised by the Local Government Board, and issued with their sanction"; and whether it was revised and sanctioned as stated; and, if not, whether the Board will request the publishers of the Facts, &c, to drop the statement of the sanction and revision by the Board?
§ THE SECRETARY TO THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Sir W. FOSTER,) Derby, IlkestonI find that about nine years ago the pamphlet referred to was forwarded to the Local Government Board by the National Health Society, and that at that time a few corrections and additions were suggested on behalf of the Board. The Board have 1582 no information as to the present distribution of the pamphlet.
§ MR. HOPWOODI asked whether it is sanctioned and revised by the Local Government Board in the shape in which my hon. Friend has seen it?
§ SIR W. FOSTERThe only thing that was done was to make corrections and additions, which were made in the Office by one of the officials of the Local Government Board. There is no sanction and no revision by the Board as a Board.
§ MR. HOPWOODAlthough it is so stated on the face of it?
§ [No answer.]
§ MR. HOPWOODI beg to ask the Secretary to the Local Government Board whether he will produce the Report of Dr. Ballard on the case of Emily Maud Child, of Leeds, an infant who was found by a verdict of a Coroner's Jury, on medical evidence, to have died of syphilis inoculated by vaccination; has his attention been called to the fact that Dr. Ballard's Report denied the fact, and left it to be inferred that the syphilis came from her parents, but that, on further inquiry by a medical authority sent down by the Royal Commission, it was found that there was no foundation for the imputation on the parents; and will he explain why Dr. Ballard did not attend and give evidence before the Royal Commission on Vaccination, as promised by the late President of the Local Government Board?
§ SIR W. FOSTERAs was stated in the House by the late President of the Local Government Board, the Reports of the Inspectors of the Department in cases such as the one referred to are regarded as confidential, and it would be contrary to the practice of the Board to give publicity to them. The Report of Dr. Ballard was submitted to the Royal Commission on Vaccination, and, as the Board understand, it has been considered by them, and the case has been the subject of further inquiry by examination of witnesses and otherwise. The Board are not aware of the conclusions which have been arrived at by the Commission on the subject. Dr. Ballard did not arrive in Leeds until after the child had been buried. The medical men who attended the child were of opinion that she had 1583 died of syphilis, and Dr. Ballard accepted provisionally their judgment in the matter. His attention was first directed to ascertaining whether syphilis had been conveyed to the child in the process of vaccination, but he could find no evidence that this was the case. In this way it may be considered that it was left to be inferred that the syphilis of the child, if syphilis it was, had been congenital. A member of the Royal Commission who is accepted in scientific circles as the highest authority on the subject arrived at the conclusion which he has published—that the death was not attributable to syphilis, and that the child was entirely free from that disease. The case will no doubt be referred to in the Report of the Commission, and the conclusion at which they arrive with regard to it stated. Dr. Ballard has been most anxious to give evidence before the Commission, but unfortunately, owing to a most serious illness, he has been unable to leave his house in Chester for many months.
§ MR. HOPWOODHas Dr. Ballard been ill for the last two years?
§ SIR W. FOSTERHe has been ill, I know, for many months past.
§ MR. HOPWOODPerhaps the hon. Gentleman will answer me one more question. He says these Reports are confidential. Is he aware that the answer given by Mr. Ritchie in this House conveyed an imputation on the parents that they had suffered from syphilis, and does not that, in my hon. Friend's judgment, release him from considering this Report as confidential?
§ SIR W. FOSTERI cannot take the view my hon. Friend does. I regard the Report as confidential.