§ 80. Mr. WHITELEYasked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the small pox epidemic in the County of Durham, he is now prepared to allow the payment of outdoor relief to insured persons not in receipt of unemployment benefit?
§ Sir K. WOODI would refer the hon. Member to the replies given to his questions of the 5th instant.
§ 81. Mr. WHITELEYalso asked the number of notifications of small-pox in Durham county during the last four weeks; whether the necessary loans applied for have been granted in order to provide the essential equipment and staff to deal effectively with the cases; and whether there is any abatement of the epidemic?
§ Sir K. WOOD665 cases of small-pox were notified in the county of Durham during the four weeks ended the 20th February. The application received from the county council for sanction to a loan is now under consideration. Fewer cases were notified last week than in any of the previous six weeks, but I am afraid that at present there are no signs of any substantial abatement of the epidemic.
§ Mr. WHITELEYIs the hon. Gentleman prepared to spreading the loan over a longer period than the Department has previously given?
§ Sir K. WOODI will consider that, but we only received notification of the epidemic in this county five or six days ago, and a representative of the Ministry was immedaitely despatched to the district.
§ Mr. HARRISWould it not be a very serious epidemic if it spread to the neighbouring counties? Is it not the worst we have had for many years?
§ Sir K. WOODThat is a difficult question. It has certain features about it from which it would appear that as regards the severity of the disease itself it is not so serious, but as regards the neighbouring counties I shall be glad if the hon. Member will put a question down.
Commander WILLIAMSWhat steps is my hon. Friend taking to let the local authorities know that a great deal of this epidemic could be checked by increased vaccination?
§ Sir K. WOODWe have already communicated with the local authorities in the matter and are constantly urging them to take this precaution.
§ 89. Mr. SCRYMGEOURasked the Minister of Health how many cases of small-pox have been notified in the country for the year 1925; how many deaths from small-pox have been registered; and whether any other cause of disease helped to cause the death in the fatal cases?
§ Sir K. WOOD5,365 cases of small-pox were notified in England and Wales during 1925, but this figure is subject to revision. Of the nine deaths registered in which small-pox was entered on the death certificates, death was attributed solely to small-pox in three instances, while in the remaining six cases other causes were also entered on the death certificates.