HC Deb 03 November 1908 vol 195 cc986-7
MR. LUPTON (Lincolnshire, Sleaford)

I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board, with reference to the three cases of injury resulting from vaccination performed by Dr. Cossham, at Cirencester, if the premises where these children, or any of them, lived were in such an insanitary condition that the child could not be safely vaccinated; and, if so, if he will, in accordance with the rules as to payments to public vaccinators, prohibit the payment of fees in this case, or take other proceedings against the vaccinator.

MR. JOHN BURNS

Two of the cases referred to were of a trifling kind, and need not, I think, be further considered. A public vaccinator is precluded from vaccinating a child if, in his opinion, the condition of the home is such that the child cannot safely be vaccinated; but I understand that in the third of the cases in question, the public vaccinator, at the time the operation was performed, had not formed the opinion that the home was too insanitary to allow of vaccination being safely performed. The insanitary conditions were discovered subsequently. I am, of course, desirous that everything practicable should be done to minimise the risk of accidents of the kind which occurred in this case, and I am considering whether some further instructions might be issued with a view of securing this result.

MR. LUPTON

Is it not the fact that in all cases recently investigated in which vaccination has gone wrong the excuse has been that the premises were insanitary, and does not that show a universal neglect of the law?

MR. JOHN BURNS

I think the hon. Member's imputation is not justified.