§ 21. Mr. PETOasked the President of the Local Government Board how many cases of small-pox have been notified in England and Wales during the last three months, and the names of the towns wherein the disease has been notified; whether the vaccination officers for the districts where small-pox has occurred have received any special instructions from their boards of guardians or the Local Governement Board with regard thereto; and, if so, what is the nature of those instructions; whether the memorandum dated March, 1901, September, 1901, and signed by the medical officer of the Local Government Board, as to the steps specially requested to be taken in places where small-pox is prevalent is still in force; if so, whether the Local Government Board are still of the opinion that it is by vaccination that the spread of small-pox can be most effectually prevented; and whether boards of guardians, as soon as any case of that disease is brought into or occurs in their respective unions, are to see that measures are promptly taken to secure, as far as is necessary and practicable under the law relating to vaccination, the vaccination (or, as the case may be, revaccination) of all such persons as are specially exposed to the danger of the infection?
§ The PRESIDENT of the LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. Burns)Forty-three cases have been notified from sixteen sanitary districts during the three months in question. I will send the hon. Member the names of the places. No special instructions were given, but a medical inspector visited Newhaven. The memoranda referred to in the question explain the part which should be taken by boards of guardians in places where small-pox is prevalent, and they embody the principal considerations which should guide the guardians' actions in such circumstances. In none of the districts referred to was there any prevalence of small-pox calling for special action by the guardians, with the exception of Newhaven (where twenty-two out of the forty-three cases occurred). In Newhaven the inquiry by the Board's inspector has shown that all necessary action on the lines of the memoranda was taken by the officers of the guardians concerned.
§ Mr. PETODoes the action which the right hon. Gentleman speaks of as having 233 been taken at Newhaven include instructions as to vaccination and revaccination where required?