§ 66. Dr. WATTSasked the Minister of Labour, as representing the Ministry of Health, if, in view of the serious epidemic of small-pox, he will take steps to enforce the provisions of the Vaccination Acts; and, having regard to the fact that there are upwards of 3,000,000 unvaccinated children in the country, will he consider the advisability of repealing the conscientious objection clauses of that Act?
§ Major BOYD-CARPENTERMy right hon. Friend is keeping continuously before him the question of the necessity, or otherwise, of amending the Vaccination Acts, but he is not prepared, at this stage of the present outbreak, to introduce legislation.
§ Dr. WATTSIs the hon. and gallant Gentleman aware that, owing to there having been so few prosecutions, if any, during the last few years, the Vaccination Acts have become practically a dead letter?
§ Mr. SCRYMGEOURWill the hon. and gallant Gentleman arrange for a statement expressly showing the number of cases in which death has taken place where there has been no vaccination, as compared with those that have been vaccinated?
§ Mr. SPEAKERPerhaps the hon. Member will put that question down.
§ 74. Mr. HILLasked the Minister of Labour, as representing the Ministry of Health, how many unvaccinated children under 12 years of age he estimates as living in Poplar; and how many of these have suffered from small-pox recently?
§ Major BOYD-CARPENTERAs explained in my reply to the hon. Member for Dundee on Thursday last, it is not possible to estimate the number of unvaccinated children under 12 years of age now living in this borough. Three unvaccinated children in the borough have contracted small-pox recently, and two of these cases proved fatal.
§ Mr. SCRYMGEOURWhy cannot the right hon. Gentleman refer to the register, which must be signed in each case, to see whether vaccination took place?
§ Mr. LANSBURYWill the hon. Gentleman give the House a statement showing the origin of the recent outbreak in Poplar, and the report of his chief official in that district?
§ Major BOYD-CARPENTERI will convey the request to my right hon. Friend.
An HON. MEMBERIs the hon. Gentleman aware that quite a large number of those who have died are vaccinated adults?
§ Major BOYD CARPENTERI am not aware of that fact.
§ 68. Mr. EDWARDSasked the Minister of Labour, as representing the Ministry of Health, how many cases of small-pox have been notified to his Department this year, how many of them have proved fatal, the districts from which they came, with the vaccinal condition and results of the cases in each district, and the vaccinal condition of each fatal case, including any vaccinations that may have been performed during the incubation period of small-pox?
§ Major BOYD-CARPENTERNine hundred and two cases of small-pox were
| SMALL-POX.—ENGLAND AND WALES DURING THE YEAR 1922 TO 30TH NOVEMBER. | |||||||
| District. | Number of Cases. | Vaccinated. | Unvaccinated. | Vaccinated during Incubation Period. | No. Evidence of Vaccination. | No information. | |
| Ashford U. | … | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| Barnsley R. | … | 17 | 3 | 14 | — | — | — |
| Barry U. | … | 4 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — |
| Barry P.S.D. | … | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — |
| Basford R. | … | 16 | 3 | 13 | — | — | — |
| Belper U. | … | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| Belper R. | … | 48 | 5 | 34 | 6 | — | 3 |
| Bentley-witb-Arksey U. | … | 12 | 1 | 11 | — | — | — |
| Bermondsey Met. B. | … | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| Bethnal Green Met. B. | … | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | — |
| Bexley U. | … | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — |
| Bilston U. | … | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — |
| Bingham R. | … | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — |
| Blackwell R. | … | 6 | 1 | 5 | — | — | — |
| Bolsover U. | … | 15 | 4 | 11 | — | — | — |
| Cardiff P.S.D. | … | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| Chadderton U. | … | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — |
| Chesterfield B. | … | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — |
| Clown R. | … | 9 | 4 | 4 | — | 1 | — |
| Crompton U. | … | 2 | — | 2 | — | — | — |
| Darlaston U. | … | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — |
| Dartford U. | … | 7 | 6 | 1 | — | — | — |
| Derby C.B. | … | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — |
| Doncaster B. | … | 16 | 2 | 14 | — | — | — |
| Durham R. | … | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| Eastwood U. | … | 25 | 4 | 21 | — | — | — |
| Eston U. | … | 11 | 1 | 8 | — | — | 2 |
| Pulham Met. B. | … | 2 | — | 2 | — | — | — |
| Golcar U. | … | 19 | 5 | 14 | — | — | — |
| Heanor U | … | 17 | — | 16 | — | — | 1 |
| Hebden Bridge U. | … | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| Hucknall U. | … | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| Huddersfield C.B. | … | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — |
| Ilkeston B. | … | 108 | 42 | 61 | 4 | 1 | — |
| Kingston-upon-Hull C B. | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | — | |
| Kiveton Park R. | … | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| Lambeth Met. B | … | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — |
| Leeds C.B. | … | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — |
| Lincoln C.B. | … | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| Linthwaite U. | … | 38 | 7 | 31 | — | — | — |
| Liverpool C.B. | … | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| Liverpool P.S.D | … | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
§ discovered during the first 11 months of this year, of which 27 have proved fatal. Included in the total are certain cases which were discovered by medical officers of health or by medical officers of the Ministry, and were accordingly not-notified, while other cases which proved to have been incorrectly diagnosed are excluded. I will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT a statement giving the particulars asked for in the last part of the question.
§ Following is the statement promised:
1765| District. | Number of Cases. | Vaccinated. | Unvaccinated. | Vaccinated during Incubation Period. | No Evidence of Vaccination. | No information. | |
| Long Eaton U. | … | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — |
| Manchester C.B. | … | 4 | 1 | 3 | — | — | — |
| Middlesbrough C.B. | … | 240 | 65 | 167 | 1 | 7 | — |
| Middleton B. | … | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — |
| Northwich U. | … | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — |
| Nottingham C.B. | … | 38 | 4 | 34 | — | — | — |
| Oldham C.B. | … | 46 | 12 | 32 | 1 | 1 | — |
| Poplar Met. B. | … | 49 | 37 | 7 | 1 | 4 | — |
| Rotherham C. B. | … | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| Royton U. | … | 4 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — |
| Saddleworth U. | … | 53 | 9 | 43 | 1 | — | — |
| St. Helens C. B. | … | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| St. Pancras Met. B. | … | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — |
| Shardlow R. | … | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — |
| Southampton C. B. | … | 3 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — |
| Sheffield C. B. | … | 11 | 5 | 6 | — | — | — |
| Slaithwaite U. | … | 13 | 4 | 9 | — | — | — |
| Southall Norwood U. | … | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — |
| Southend-on-Sea C. B. | … | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| Stepney Met. B. | … | 6 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — |
| Swansea P.S.D. | … | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| Todmorden B. | … | 16 | 9 | 7 | — | — | — |
| Wath-on-Dearne U. | … | — | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| Wast Ham C. B. | … | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — |
| Totals | … | 902 | 271 | 596 | 13 | 16 | 6 |
| FATAL CASES. | |||||||
| Barry U. D. | … | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — |
| Bethnal Green Met. B. | … | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | — |
| Bexley U. | … | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — |
| Dartford U. | … | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — |
| Fulham Met. B. | … | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — |
| Lambeth Met. B. | … | 1 | — | 1 | — | —. | — |
| Middleton B. | … | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| Poplar Met. B. | … | 16 | 10 | 4 | — | 2 | — |
| St. Pancras Met. B. | … | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — |
| Saddleworth U. | … | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | — |
| West Ham C. B. | … | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | — |
| Totals | … | 27 | 12 | 11 | 1 | 3 | — |
§ 69. Mr. C. WILSONasked the Minister of Labour whether he can state for each decade since 1871 as regards London and the rest of the United Kingdom, respectively, the total number of cases of scarlet fever, of enteric, and of small-pox which have been notified; and what has been the rate of mortality per notification?
§ Major BOYD-CARPENTERMy right hon. Friend regrets that he cannot
§ supply the full particulars asked for, as notification of these diseases did not become general in this country until 1900, and the tabulation of notifications only commenced in 1911. I will, however, circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT particulars of notifications and deaths in London and in the remainder of England and Wales for the decennium 1911–1920.
1767§ Following are the particulars:
| NOTIFICATIONS AND DEATHS IN THE DECENNIUM 1911–1920. | ||||||
| London. | Remainder of England and Wales. | |||||
| Cases Notified. | Deaths. | Deaths per 1,000 cases. | Cases Notified. | Deaths. | Deaths per 1,000 cases. | |
| Scarlet Fever | 138,744 | 1,878 | 14 | 870,169 | 14,959 | 17 |
| Enteric Fever | 5,851 | 1,008 | 172 | 60,486 | 11,419 | 189 |
| Small-pox | 170 | 23 | 135 | 1,293 | 111 | 86 |
§ Figures for port sanitary districts are included in the above table, but those for non-civilians are excluded from 1915 onwards, as they could be given only for England and Wales as a whole.