§ Mr. WILKIEasked the Secretary for Scotland whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that the two men who died from small-pox in Kirkcaldy this year prior to the 24th October, and whose condition as to vaccination was returned as doubtful, had been entered in the birth registers as successfully vaccinated; and whether he will have the official records of this epidemic amended accordingly, and take steps to ensure that before cases are entered as doubtful the registers shall be searched in order to prevent such inaccuracies as have been brought to light in the present instances?
Mr. McKINNON WOODMy attention has been drawn to the fact referred to by my hon. Friend. I am informed that after the two men referred to had been carefully examined by the medical officer of health he could find no trace of any vaccination mark. It was no part of his duty to search the register for certificates of vaccination, and from his observation he was justified in returning the cases as doubtful. I am calling the attention of the local authority 1021W to these cases, and suggesting that they should make the necessary alteration in any official records of the outbreak; but I do not consider it necessary or practicable to prescribe any general rule of the kind referred to in the last part of my hon. Friend's question.
§ Mr. WILKIEasked the Secretary for Scotland whether he is aware that Andrew Nicholson, aged eighty-six years, of Kirkcaldy, was vaccinated on 23rd October, although suffering from heart disease; whether in Scotland vaccination is permissible on persons already suffering from other diseases; whether he is aware that Nicholson became dangerously ill three days after the operation and remained bedridden till his death on 22nd November; that the evidence of the activity of the vaccine disease throughout Nicholson's last illness was irrefutable; and whether he is in a position to cause the register to be corrected by the insertion of vaccination as one of the contributory causes of the man's death?
Mr. McKINNON WOODI am informed that Andrew Nicholson was vaccinated, with his own consent, on 23rd October, in view of his having been in contact with a case of hemorrhagic small-pox, it being
1022W
Year. Cost of Inspection, etc., of Secondary and Intermediate Schools and of the Leaving Certificate Examinations, less for each year £300 met from the Vote. Sums received from Schools, as fixed by the Department under Section 19 of the Education (Scotland) Act, 1878. Net Cost to Funds other than the Vote. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. 1902–03 … … … 6,507 10 4 356 15 5 6,150 14 11 1903–04 … … … 7,266 1 2 467 4 10 6,798 16 4 1904–05 … … … 7,707 16 1 468 6 5 7,239 9 8 1905–06 … … … 7,869 8 4 448 18 9 7,420 9 7 1906–07 … … … 8,177 11 10 395 19 1 7,781 12 9 1907–08 … … … 8,335 4 6 432 5 0 7,902 19 6 1908–09 … … … 8,476 4 4 595 17 1 7,880 7 3 1909–10 … … … 8,653 6 0 242 0 9 8,411 5 3 1910–11 … … … 8,918 15 5 230 9 0 8,688 6 5 1911–12 … … … 8,811 9 11 266 7 7 8,545 2 4 known that he was suffering from heart disease, which, in the opinion of his medical attendant, would have rendered an attack of small-pox almost certainly fatal. Vaccination is permissible in Scotland on persons suffering from other diseases, provided that their consent has been obtained. I am informed that Nicholson became partly bedridden shortly after the vaccination, but that this was due to an accident, and that, in fact, the vaccine disease ran an extremely mild course. In these circumstances, I see no reason why the death register should be altered.