HC Deb 17 April 1899 vol 69 c1274
MR. STEADMAN (Tower Hamlets, Stepney)

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board if he received a letter from Mr. Haines, stating the grievance of Mrs. Rouse, of 21, Louisa Street, Mile End Old Town, who had her baby vaccinated in January last, which, although healthy and clear before, has been breaking out in large sores ever since, as soon as one heals another breaks out, and the vaccination sore3 also break out afresh; whether he has ordered an inquiry into the allegations contained in the communication alluded to; and, if a Report has been made, will that Report be laid upon the Table of the House; and has the communication of Mr. Haines been acknowledged?

THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. CHAPLIN,) Lincolnshire, Sleaford

I have received a letter to the effect stated from a branch of the National Anti-Vaccination League, and signed J. F. Haines, on April 7th, and in my absence it was sent immediately to the Medical Department for inquiry. But I regret that owing to inadvertence there was some delay in its acknowledgment. We have now received a Report upon the subject, but it would be quite unusual to lay Reports of this kind upon the Table, since they necessarily contain references to family history which it would be very undesirable to publish. It appears that the child was vaccinated on the 11th of February, and that at some date between three weeks and a month afterwards an eruption appeared upon the child. Within the last few hours we have heard that the child is somewhat ailing, but when inspected on the 9th April (two months after vaccination) the vesicles had all disappeared, and the child was found to be well nourished and healthy. It was added that it had been little troubled by the eruption. The lymph used was glycerinated calf-lymph supplied by the Board. Rather over 1,000 tubes of the same lymph had been issued, 27 of them being used by the same vaccinator, and in no instance except this one has any complaint been made either in the official returns, as to its use, or otherwise.