HC Deb 26 June 1900 vol 84 cc1116-7
MR. M'KENNA (Monmouthshire, N.)

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War whether he has any information to enable him to give statistics as to the effect of inoculation against typhoid fever in South Africa.

The following questions also appeared on the Paper:—

MR. VVASON (Clackmannan and Kinross)

To ask the Under Secretary of State for War whether he is now in a position to say whether the troops who submitted themselves to inoculation, who are now serving in South Africa, and have had enteric fever, have had it in a less mild degree than those who have not been inoculated; and what proportion of those inoculated recovered.

COLONEL WYNDHAM MURRAY (Bath)

To ask the Under Secretary of State for War whether medical records have been kept during the South African War and are already available which would show the results of inoculation in the prevention of enteric fever among the troops; whether it has been found that among those inoculated there has been immunity from the disease; and, in the event of the reports on inoculation not showing such immunity, can he state what are the results of comparisons up to a certain date between the cases of those admitted to hospital suffering from this disease who had been inoculated and those who had not been so treated.

*MR. WYNDHAM

I will reply at the same time to the questions put by the hon. Member for Clackmannan and Kinross and my hon. and gallant friend the Member for Bath. Medical records showing the results of inoculation are being compiled in South Africa, but the statistics at present available are not sufficient to enable me to give a conclusive reply to the questions. I doubt whether it will be possible to report on this question before the end of the war.

SIR HOWARD VINCENT (Sheffield, Central)

Are the troops now going out inoculated?

*MR. WYNDHAM

It is optional with them. Facilities are given them to undergo it, but no compulsion is used.