§ 56. Mr. GROVESasked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that the medical officer of health for Southport received a letter from the Ministry of Health stating that the severity of the vaccination reaction reported from South-port had been noticed in other districts and appeared to be caused more by the technique used in vaccinating than by the virulence of the vaccine lymph, and suggesting that a single incision four-fifths of a centimetre long should be made and no criss-cross incision; and whether this is the official view of the Ministry?
§ Sir K. WOODMy right hon. Friend is aware that a letter was written by a medical officer of the Ministry (after having made a local inspection) to the medical officer of health of Southport, generally on the lines set out in the first part of the question, except that it was made clear that four marks should be made, each by a single-line incision, not four-fifths centimetre, but four to five millimetres long. The official view of the Department is set out in the Instructions to Vaccinators under Contract, and the suggestions made in the letter are quite consistent with that view.