HC Deb 14 April 1913 vol 51 cc1621-2
67. Mr. SNOWDEN

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether the lymph with which the members of the crew of His Majesty's "Conqueror," who have recently developed small-pox, were vaccinated and re-vaccinated was supplied by his Department; what was the nature of the original virus from which the vaccines with which they were infected was cultivated; what precautions, if any, were taken to ensure that the original viruses were free from variolous taint, as prescribed by Section 32 of the Vaccination Act, 1867; and what is the explana- tion of the failure of the re-vaccinations of the three seamen to protect them from small-pox?

The PRESIDENT of the LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. Burns)

During recent years the Local Government Board have supplied the lymph which is used in the Navy. It is a strain of lymph obtained from Cologne and passed through a series of calves before issue. I am not aware what lymph was used for the original vaccination of the cases referred to, nor have I sufficient data to enable me to reply to the latter part of the question.

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