§ Mr. GROVESasked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been called to the death of Audrey Garnett, the 18-months-old child of Henry Major Garnett, of 18, The Holt, Carr Lane, Windhill, Bradford, who died in the Bradford Children's Hospital on 18th January in consequence of the administration of anti-toxin as a precautionary measure against scarlet fever; whether he is aware of a similar death at Bramhope Children's Orphanage in October, 1934; and whether, in view of the facts that scarlet fever is rarely fatal, that no guarantee can be given that the inoculation will protect from scarlet fever, and that the injection may cause fatal results, he will advise local authorities that administer fever and other hospitals to cease the prophylactic inoculation of children admitted into those hospitals.
Sir H. YOUNGThe answer to the first part of the question is in the negative, and the answer to the second part is in the affirmative. The death referred to in the second part occurred in August, 1934. As regards the third part, this is a matter within the discretion of local authorities acting on the advice of their medical officers, and I should not be justified in taking the course suggested by the hon. Member.