§ 66. Mr. GROVESasked the Minister of Health the number of cases of small-pox notified to his Department in 1924 and 1925; how many have proved fatal; the districts from which they came; 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?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINAnswers to the questions in the precise form in which they are asked would involve an amount of time, expense and research which I should be reluctant to impose on my Department. I may, however, as regards small-pox statistics for the year 1924, refer the hon. Member to the Annual 2583 Report of the Chief Medical Officer of my Department for that year, pages 33 to 37. On page 37 will be found a table showing for the country as a whole the number of cases of and deaths from small-pox that occurred during the year, and their vaccinal condition, including those vaccinated during the incubation period. The number of districts invaded and the number of cases in each is given in the table on page 33 of the Report. (Completed figures for the year 1925 are not yet available.)
§ 106. Mr. GROVESasked the Minister of Health the methods adopted by the medical officers of his Department in order to definitely decide whether cases of illness examined by them are small-pox or not; and whether the vaccinal condition of the patients is taken into account as one of the factors to decide the diagnosis?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINThe medical officers of the Ministry who advise in regard to the diagnosis of suspected cases of small-pox are those who have had considerable experience of that disease, and, in forming an opinion as to the nature of the illness, they take into account all known factors, including the vaccinal condition of the patients.