§ Mr. Viantasked the Minister of Health whether cases sent to Birmingham Infectious Diseases Hospital as diphtheria and notified as diphtheria are still Schick-tested; and whether those giving a negative result of the Schick-test are re-diagnosed as tonsilitis or some other disease?
§ Mr. E. BrownI am making the necessary inquiries and will communicate with my hon. Friend as soon as possible.
§ Mr. Viantasked the Minister of Health whether any of the six fatal cases of the 78 rediagnosed during the last seven years at Darlington were immunised children; what cause of death was given in the six fatal cases; how many of the 78 had been sent to hospital as clinically established cases of diphtheria; how many were rediagnosed during the last two years; and whether any of the six fatal cases had been sent in as clinically established diphtheria?
§ Mr. BrownIt will be necessary to seek the detailed information requested by my hon. Friend from the local authority concerned, and I will communicate to him such particulars as can be obtained as soon as possible.
§ Mr. A. Edwardsasked the Minister of Health whether he will publish the statistics on which he bases his campaign for the inoculation of children against diphtheria; and whether he will inquire how Sweden has brought its diphtheria cases down to about 100 a year from 25,000 cases in 1920 and 15,000 in 1921 without any inoculation against the disease?
892W
§ Mr. BrownThe campaign for immunisation against diphtheria was initiated on medical advice which was overwhelmingly in favour of this protective measure against a disease which has been the cause of so many deaths. Experience gained in a number of other countries which have carried out immunisation to the extent regarded as necessary has confirmed this view and I shall be ready to let my hon. Friend have particulars of a number of such instances. With regard to the second part of the Question I will see what inquiries are possible in present circumstances.