HC Deb 04 June 1896 vol 41 c410
SIR WILLIAM PRIESTLEY (Edinburgh and St. Andrew's Universities)

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board, whether, in view of the increasing demand for vaccination with calf lymph, he will consider the expediency of at once taking such steps as may be necessary to facilitate the performance by public vaccinators of calf to arm vaccination, with the double object of meeting the objections of an increasing number of parents to the use of humanised lymph, and the protection of infants from the danger of attack and death by small-pox?

MR. CHAPLIN

I am fully aware of the importance which is attached to the performance of vaccination direct from calf-to-arm when calf lymph is used. But my hon. Friend must be aware that a system of calf-to-arm vaccination, if practised generally, would involve an entirely new organisation at a very large expenditure of public money. In view of the fact that the desirability of introducing changes "for the purpose of removing objections to vaccination, or making it more effective," is included in the reference to the Royal Commission on Vaccination, who are now engaged in compiling their Report, I donbt the expediency of my making any proposal as to the alterations in the law and its administration which would be involved, before I have had the advantage of considering their Report.

MR. GIBSON BOWLES (Lynn Regis)

asked when they were likely to have the Report.

MR. CHAPLIN

said he had made inquiries, and the reply was that the Commission was considering the Report, and hoped to present it very shortly.