§ 28. Mr. O'GRADYasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Local Government Board whether the simultaneous decline of the infantile death rate to the lowest on record, namely, ninety-one per 1,000 registered births, and of the number of children vaccinated to the lowest number since vaccination was made compulsory by Act of Parliament, will be inquired into so as to ascertain how far the two data explain one another; and, if not, whether he has any other explanation of the cause of the decreasing infantile death rate?
§ Mr. HAYES FISHERThere is no foundation for the suggestion that the decline in the infant death rate is due to the decline in the number of children who are vaccinated; the lower death rate is not confined to districts in which vaccination is 40 neglected, and at least one-half of the infants die before the age at which vaccination is usually performed. The decline in the infant death rate is no doubt due to a number of causes, one of the most important of which is the valuable work which is now undertaken by local authorities and voluntary agencies for attending to the health of mothers and infants.