§ 66. Mr. FREEMANasked the Minister of Health why the table dealing with the vaccinal condition of cases of small-pox occurring during 1928, which appears on page 105 of the chief medical officer's last annual Report, was limited on this occasion to cases occurring in London and in sanitary districts having a population of not less than 150,000; why the deaths were omitted from the table in question, and how many deaths occurred amongst the cases quoted in the columns A, B, C and D, respectively; whether, in view of the importance of such details being available for a proper consideration of the value of vaccination, he will arrange for the continuance of their publication in the chief medical officer's annual Reports?
§ Mr. GREENWOODThe information contained in the table printed on page 105 of the chief medical officer's Report for 1928 was limited to areas of large population because it was found that the value of similar statistics for the whole country was 'altogether disproportionate to the work entailed in their compilation. The numbers of deaths, including the Vol. 231 2214 vaccinal condition at the time of infection, are given on pages 100–02 of the Report. The answer to the third part of the question is in the negative.
§ Mr. FREEMANWill the right hon. Gentleman give similar information in regard to other areas?
§ Mr. GREENWOODThe whole point is that the compilation of these figures involves an immense amount of work, without throwing very much new light on the information already available.
§ 67. Mr. FREEMANasked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been called to the deaths of five children within one month following vaccination, namely: Terence Kellaher, five months, vaccinated 14th August, died 15th September; Ronald Whitehouse, five months, vaccinated 23rd August, died 5th September; Leslie Brewer, six months, vaccinated 11th September, died 18th September; Frederick Wright, 11 years, vaccinated in March, died 12th September; and Jackie Balshaw, four months, vaccinated 12th September, died 1st October; and will he institute inquiries as to whether vaccination is one of the contributory factors in the deaths of these and similar cases?
§ Mr. GREENWOODMy attention has been called to two of the five deaths referred to which occurred in London, Blackburn, Bolton, West Bromwich and Somersetshire. In neither of these two Was vaccination one of the certified causes of death. In both cases post-mortem examinations were made and inquests held, and the deaths were found to be due to causes entirely unconnected with vaccination. I have no information as to the remaining three cases beyond the death certificates, which show that in two of them post-mortem examinations were made, and in none of the three was there any reason to think that vaccination contributed in any way to the fatal issue. As regards the last part of the question, I may say that all cases, in which death is stated to have resulted directly, or in-directly, from vaccination, are reported to my Department by the registrars of births and deaths, and are made the subject of investigation.