§ 74. Mr. FREEMANasked the Minister of Health whether he can now state the number of children compulsorily vaccinated in 1929, the number for whom exemption was claimed, the number of deaths of children from small-pox, and the number of deaths of children associated with vaccination?
§ Mr. GREENWOODAs the answer contains a number of figures, I will, with my hon. Friend's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Following is the answer:
§ During the year 1929, 297, 627 certificates of successful primary vaccination of children under 14 years of age, and 287,044 statutory declarations of conscientious objection, were received by vaccination officers in England and Wales. During the same period, among children under 14 years of age, 12 deaths occurred which were classified to small-pox and 16 deaths in which the words "vaccination," "vaccinia" or "post vaccinal encephalitis" appeared in the medical or coroner's certificate. Eleven other cases of children under 14 years of age were brought to the notice of my Department in which death occurred within four weeks of vaccination. In at least eight of these cases there is no reason to think that vaccination contributed in any way to the fatal issue.