§ 41. Mr. Tom Brownasked the Minister of Health whether the facilities granted to the hon. Member for Grantham (Mr. Kendall) to obtain supplies of penicillin can be more generally extended to civilians suffering from the disease of bacterial-endocarditis which has hitherto proved fatal.
§ Mr. WillinkNo facilities have been granted to the hon. Member for Grantham and I have no information as to the source of his supplies. I am advised that the value of penicillin for the treatment of bacterial endocarditis has not been established, and in view of the limited amounts available for civilians I have not felt justified in recommending its use for this disease.
§ Mr. BrownDoes the Minister consider that the policy pursued by his Department is conducive to saving life?
§ Mr. WillinkYes, Sir. Otherwise it would not be the policy pursued by my Department. I can assure my hon. Friend that we would not want large quantities of this very valuable drug, which is still in short supply, used in doubtful cases, when the same quantity could be used with really effective results in 15 or 20 cases.
§ Mr. G. GriffithsIs the Minister aware of the discovery in the laboratory of the West Riding County Council where they are making penicillin? Is it not a fact that they have asked his permission to use it on West Riding patients, and will he give his consent?
§ Mr. WillinkQuestions relating to the production of penicillin are not for my Department. My responsibility is to advise as to the best possible distribution and use of what is available for civilians.
§ Mr. KendallIs the Minister aware that so long as he does not accept his full responsibility for cases of bacterial endocarditis, although Germans are receiving penicillin, Finnish Prime Ministers and Swiss footballers, I shall continue to do my best to help other hon. Members to obtain penicillin for their suffering constituents from my own very limited supply?
§ Mr. WillinkI think my hon. Friend is aware that there is shortly to be a Debate on the subject, in which I think he proposes, if called, to speak.
43. Mr. Murrayasked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that civilians are being allowed to die because they are being refused treatment with penicillin; and whether he can hold out any hope of increased supplies.
§ Mr. WillinkNo, Sir. I would remind my hon. Friend that there are many diseases for which treatment by penicillin would be quite ineffective. As regard the second part of the Question I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given on the 11th October by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Supply to my hon. Friends the Members for Yardley (Mr. Salt) and East Middlesbrough (Mr. A. Edwards).
Mr. MurrayIs the Minister aware that the person whom I referred to him has now died, and could have been saved, if penicillin had been allowed to be given?
§ Mr. WillinkNo, Sir. I am sure that my hon. Friend will not take the responsibility, with deliberation, of saying that any particular patient would have been saved by the use of this drug.
§ Mr. A. EdwardsIs not the Minister aware that had it not been for penicillin supplied to me by the hon. Member for Grantham (Mr. Kendall) a constituent of mine would have died, according to the best local medical opinion?
§ Mr. WillinkNo, Sir.
§ Mr. EdwardsThen he knows now.
Mr. MurrayIs the Minister not aware that a blood test was taken of the patient to whom I referred, and that it showed he would be sensitive to treatment by penicillin?
§ Mr. WillinkI cannot be expected to answer questions about a particular case of which I have not been given notice.