HC Deb 23 January 1902 vol 101 cc676-7
MR. BARTLEY

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether private medical practitioners are now able to purchase Government lymph for those who are prepared for vaccination, or whether they have to obtain it as they can, chiefly from abroad.

THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (MR. WALTER LONG,) Bristol, S.

The statutory duty of the Local Government Board as regards the supply of glycerinated calf lymph is limited to supplying it to Public Vaccinators for purposes of primary vaccination only, and their lymph establishment was formed with this object. Arrangements were, however, made to extend the supply, so as to enable lymph to be provided for use by these officers in re-vaccinations, and a very large amount has been supplied for this purpose. The organisation of the establishment is not such as would enable me to furnish lymph to private medical practitioners.

MR. BARTLEY

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman if he will take into consideration, having regard to the present state of affairs, whether lymph cannot be supplied to private practitioners, with a guarantee that it is really effective?

MR. WALTER LONG

In the first place, it would be a very serious thing to suggest or decide that medicine should be supplied gratis to private practitioners—

MR. HARTLEY

I did not suggest a supply gratis.

MR. WALTER LONG

There is no necessity for it, for I have satisfied myself that, without doubt, there is an ample supply to be obtained outside that supplied from the Government Department.

MR. BARTLEY

Is it not the fact that nearly all of it comes from abroad?

MR. WALTER LONG

Some, no doubt, comes from Paris, but there are other sources of supply. Beyond doubt there is an abundant supply of glycerinated calf lymph to be had at the present time.

DR. AMBROSE (Mayo, W.)

Is not a great deal of the lymph obtained outside inefficient?

MR. WALTER LONG

No; on the contrary, I believe the greater part is most efficient. It may be that the Government lymph is much stronger, but I do not think that the outside lymph is inefficient. No communication to that effect has reached me.

MR. BARTLEY

Does the right hon. Gentleman say the Government lymph is much stronger than that obtained outside by private practitioners?

MR. WALTER LONG

Yes; I have reason to know that is so, judging from the communications made to me by hon. friends.