§ Mr. Grovesasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total amount paid by the Glasgow sanitary authority for lymph supplies and in respect of fees for vaccinations performed, respectively, during the recent outbreak of small-pox in that city; how many practitioners were recipients of the fees in question; and what was the highest amount paid to any one practitioner?
Mr. JohnstonI am informed that the total amount paid by Glasgow Corporation for lymph used during the recent small-pox outbreak was £5,402, of which £1,075 is due to be recovered from the authorities of adjoining areas to whom the Corporation issued supplies. These figures do not include lymph obtained by the Corporation through the Department of Health for Scotland which is valued at about £6,000.
The total amount paid in respect of fees for vaccinations performed during the outbreak was £10,469. Three hundred 1780W and fifty eight doctors and 190 senior medical students received fees for vaccinations and the highest amount paid to any one doctor was £271 2s. 6d.
§ Mr. Grovesasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what instructions have been issued by the Glasgow sanitary authority in regard to the re-vaccination of hospital doctors and officials likely to come into contact with small-pox; and why these instructions were not observed in the case of the medical officer who contracted small-pox on or about 29th May last?
Mr. JohnstonNo standing instructions were in force previous to the recent smallpox outbreak with regard to the re-vaccination of hospital doctors or other officials. When the outbreak began re-vaccination was offered to all staffs likely to come in contact with small-pox directly or indirectly. The medical officer mentioned in the Question was re-vaccinated on 29th May but without success, after he had been in contact with infection on the ship.
§ Mr. Grovesasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether it is proposed to take any proceedings against the shipping company responsible for the fact that the Glasgow sanitary authority was not notified that there was a case of confluent small-pox on board the steamer from Bombay which arrived in the Clyde on 29th May last?
Mr. JohnstonNo, Sir. The shipping company was not responsible for failure to notify small-pox on the ship since the ship's doctor had diagnosed the case as measles complicated with pneumonia. Obviously shipowners and shipmasters cannot carry out any of the duties they have regarding small-pox on shipboard until its existence on the ship is recognised. Nor does any blame attach to a ship's doctor who makes a mistaken diagnosis in good faith. Small-pox is difficult to distinguish in its early stages from measles. The case in question was first recognised as small-pox on admission to hospital.