§ Mr. PICKERSGILLasked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that an epidemic of small-pox is now raging in Madras, the deaths from the beginning of the year having been (according to the Registrar-General's Returns) in January, 40; in February, 60; and to 18th March, 82; representing a fatality rate of 360 per million population; whether he is aware that the official returns of the city show that during the past, few years the annual average number of public vaccina- 998W tions per thousand of population has been more than three times greater than the number officially recorded as carried out in London; and whether he will ascertain what steps are being taken by the authorities in Madras to cope with the epidemic apart from vaccination?
§ Mr. MONTAGUThe Secretary of State regrets that the city of Madras is suffering from an epidemic of small-pox. He understands that the Corporation have opened isolation hospitals, and that a special staff is employed under the health officer to carry out measures of disinfection and to bring cases to light. Owing to the form in which the Madras vaccination returns are kept, exact comparison with those of London is not possible. As an example I would remind my hon. Friend that revaccinations are not included in the London statistics.