HC Deb 07 August 1913 vol 56 cc1735-7
32. Mr. LYNCH

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been called to recent researches on the Continent, in various scientific centres, which indicate that inoculation with the germs of certain diseases may render the subject more susceptible to the attacks of other diseases; whether, in view of this fact, he has investigated the effect of vaccination on the resistance of children to anterior poliomyelitis, which disease is increasing in frequency and virulence, and which now presents a greater danger to children than smallpox; and whether his Department proposes to establish any system of inoculation against anterior polio-myelitis?

Mr. BURNS

My attention has been called to the researches mentioned. The establishment of any system of inoculation against anterior polio-myelitis is not practicable at the present time in view of the fact that no reliable protective serum has yet been prepared.

Mr. FORSTER

Is it not a fact that the percentage of children successfully vaccinated is steadily declining?

Mr. BURNS

That question has no relevance to polio-myelitis, but what the hon. Member says is a fact.

33. Mr. LYNCH

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether, in view of the fact that in the cases of tuberculosis, typhoid fever, diphtheria, and certain other diseases, the specific germ is known, cultures and attenuations are possible, and standardisation may be roughly obtained, his Department will set on foot a national system of inoculation against these diseases; or whether, if he holds that the diminution of the evil of these diseases both in regard to extent and virulence has been brought about by various agencies within control, notably by increased attention to sanitary systems, he will attach yet greater importance to this aspect of the question of public health, and make use of it rather than of indiscriminate inoculation as his chief means of combating smallpox?

Mr. BURNS

As at present advised, I am not prepared to set on foot a national system on inoculation against the diseases mentioned. I may, however, draw the hon. Member's attention to an Order issued by the Local Government Board in 1910 giving powers to local authorities under certain conditions to supply diptheria anti-toxin and medical assistance in connection therewith. My Department always attaches the greatest importance to improved sanitation.

34. Mr. LYNCH

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been directed to the fact that wherever inoculation can be even roughly controlled by standardisation and the results estimated with some approach to accuracy, as, for example, Sir Almroth Wright's inoculations with tuberculin and his estimations by aid of the opsoride index, the period of immunity has been found surprisingly short; whether any scientific experiments have ever been set on foot in his Department to ascertain the period of immunity attained by -vaccination; whether, otherwise than by guesswork, it is set down at a number of years instead of the corresponding number of weeks; and whether, as the ascertainment of this point lies at the base of the theory on which his Department acts, any experiments have been, or are now in progress, to conduct these operations on scientific lines?

Mr. BURNS

My attention has been drawn to Sir Almroth Wright's experiments. As regards the protective effect of vaccination against smallpox I would refer the hon. Member to Section 377 of the Final Report of the Royal Commission on Vaccination.

Mr. LYNCH

Does the right hon. Gentleman observe that if the time of immunity is really short, it will affect the reading of the whole of the statistics which have been relied upon by his Department in favour of the present mode of vaccination?

Mr. BURNS

Yes; but the time of immunity is nothing like so short as the hon. Member suggests by his supplementary question. Paragraph 377 of the Report of the Royal Commission on Vaccination gives the period of protection as nine or ten years, the hon. Member almost suggests a few months.

Mr. LYNCH

I make no suggestion whatever; I simply repeat the result of Sir Almroth Wright's investigations.

Mr. BURNS

I think my hon. Friend and I might beneficially enlighten ourselves during the holidays upon this rather technical subject.