§ 54. Mr. LEACHasked the Minister of Health how many deaths were registered from chicken-pox, from small-pox, and from the effects of vaccination, during the year 1923?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSSix deaths from small-pox were registered during the year 1923, the outbreak being, fortunately, of a mild character. As regards chicken-pox, figures are at present only available for the first three-quarters of the year; the number of deaths during that period was 41. During the first eleven months 525 of the year eight deaths were attributed to vaccination, while five deaths attributed to other causes were considered to be associated with vaccination. The figures for December are not yet available.
§ Mr. LEACHDo not these figures appear to demonstrate that vaccination is more dangerous than small-pox?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSCertainly not.
§ Mr. GRATTAN DOYLECould the right hon. Baronet say what proportion of the fatal cases were vaccinated cases?
Sir W.JOYNSON-HICKSI should not like to answer that question without notice, but I have recently gone into it, and the proportion of cases is very large indeed of those who have not been vaccinated. As regards the number of deaths, I would not pledge myself, without further inquiry, as to the numbers who were vaccinated or were not vaccinated.
§ 63. Mr. BROADasked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the fact that the disease notified as small-pox during 1923 was so mild as to be less fatal than chicken-pox, he is assured that it really was small-pox?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSYes, Sir.