Mr. Braddockasked the Minister Of Health what laboratory tests are used in the diagnosis of smallpox; and how long it takes to make a diagnosis at a laboratory.
291W
§ Mr. BevanI am advised that there are a number of such tests which may take from one to four or five days.
§ Mr. Viantasked the Minister of Health the dates of sickening of the Bilston cases of smallpox; whether it has been established that they were smallpox; whether any of them were vaccinated or re-vaccinated persons, and, if so, the dates of their vaccination or re-vaccination and the result of the cases.
§ Mr. BevanThe persons established as suffering from smallpox at Bilston fell sick between 2nd March and 9th April. My information is that six of them were vaccinated in infancy, of whom two were re-vaccinated in adult life, and that two were unvaccinated. One patient died—a woman of 79 not vaccinated since infancy.