Mr. CHANCELLORasked the President of the Local Government Board whether he has seen the report of the medical officer of health for Islington, in which he recommends that inoculation with anti-toxin supplied free by the borough council should be commenced the moment diphtheria is suspected, and even before the diagnosis is positive; and what action, in view of the fact that anti-toxin is definitely proved to have caused death in healthy persons, he proposes to take to prevent local authorities from encouraging and subsidising this practice?
§ The PRESIDENT of the LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. Burns)I have seen the report referred to, but I do not propose to interfere with the discretion of the local authorities in acting upon the provisions of the order recently issued.
§ Dr. ADDISONMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether it is not a fact that of some 8,000 cases of diphtheria treated with anti-toxin in the Brook Hospital, London, the results were as follows:—
| Number of cases. | Day of disease on which anti-toxin was given. | Case mortality per cent. | ||
| 2,135 | … | 1st | … | 0 |
| 1,441 | … | 2nd | … | 4.3 |
| 1,600 | … | 3rd | … | 11.12 |
| 1,276 | … | 4th | … | 17.24 |
| 1,645 | … | 5th or later | … | 18.72 |
§ And whether, in view of the uniform experience of officers of fever hospitals, that the sooner anti-toxin is administered in cases of diphtheria the better it is for the patients, he will use every endeavour to make this invaluable remedy as soon as, and as easily available as possible to poor persons afflicted with this terrible disease?
Mr. CHANCELLORasked when, seeing that Section 77 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, and Section 133 of the Public Health Act, 1875, under which the Local Government Board Order authorising local authorities to supply diphtheria anti-toxin free apply only to cases of a temporary nature, that Order will be withdrawn?
§ Mr. BURNSThe fact that the sections under which the Orders authorising the supply of anti-toxin have been made refer to the provision of a temporary supply of 12 medicine and medical assistance does not, in my opinion, necessitate or render desirable the withdrawal of the Orders.
Mr. CHANCELLORasked how many local authorities are supplying diphtheria anti-toxin to medical practitioners out of the public rates?
Mr. CHANCELLORasked the President of the Local Government Board if he is aware that, in addition to supplying antitoxin free, the Kensington Borough Council have offered every medical practitioner within the borough a fee of 5s. for every inoculation; how many other local authorities have adopted the same practice; whether such use of public money as a premium on a form of medical treatment whose value is disputed has been sanctioned by him; and, if so, under what statute?
§ Mr. BURNSAs regards the authority for the Orders issued by the Local Government Board in August last empowering local authorities to provide diphtheria anti-toxin I may refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave him on 23rd November last. By the terms of the Order the arrangements as to the keeping, distribution, and use of the anti-toxin are required to be in accordance with the advice of the medical officer of health. I have no complete information as to the arrangements which have been made in Kensington or elsewhere.