§ MR. LUPTONI beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board if he can give the ages of persons attacked with cerebro-spinal meningitis during the present epidemic; if the epidemic is due to blood-poisoning; and if there is any frequently occurring mode of introducing poison directly into the blood without its passing through the digestive organs, other than vaccination.
§ MR. JOHN BURNSIn England and Wales, with which alone I am concerned, there is no epidemic of cerebro-spinal meningitis. Only a few sporadic cases have been reported, and by no means all of these have been proved to be really cases of the disease in question. The ages of the patients in the reported cases have varied from seven months to thirty-nine years, and more than 50 per cent. of them were aged five years and upwards. I understand that the disease is by some authorities regarded as due to blood-poisoning; but that there is no relation whatever between it and vaccinia.
§ MR. LUPTONHow can the right hon. Gentleman show there is no relation?
§ MR. JOHN BURNSI shall be delighted to answer the hon. Member if he will put his Question on the Paper.