§ 25. Mr. FREEMANasked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the fact that of the 13 cases of cerebro-spinal meningitis at Aldershot, of which eight have already proved fatal, 12 sufferers had been recently vaccinated, he will consider the desirability of suspending compulsory vaccination in the Army?
§ Mr. SHAWMy hon. Friend is under a misapprehension. If he will refer to the answer which I gave him on 24th February, he will see that only two of the patients had been vaccinated within six months. The remaining 10 were vaccinated at dates varying from six months to more than four years before they fell ill of cerebro-spinal fever. The fact that only one of the patients was unvaccinated can be accounted for by the rule that no recruit is accepted unless he has been vaccinated or is willing to be. I am advised that there are no grounds in the present outbreak for suspending the rule.