§ Mr. WILKIEasked the Secretary for Scotland if he is aware that Mrs. Jane Nicholson, widow of Andrew Nicholson, Kirkcaldy, has denied that her husband was vaccinated with his own consent on the 23rd October, and stated that her husband, who was eighty-six years of age, was vaccinated at eleven o'clock at night, after he had gone to bed, by Dr. Currell, who overbore their objection to the operation; that at that time the deceased was quite cheerful and, considering his years, was in fair health; that three days after being vaccinated he became seriously ill, and had to be put to bed; that it was untrue that he had had an accident shortly after the vaccination; that she had no hesitation in saying that the vaccination had killed her 1204W husband; is he aware that the medical man who vaccinated Nicholson had not called on him for about six months before, and did not again call on him till three weeks after the operation; in view of these facts will he explain why the medical man in question is described as Nicholson's medical attendant; will he state the authority for the information given regarding this case; and will he reconsider this case, with a view of adding vaccination to the death register as a contributory cause of death?
Mr. McKINNON WOODMy attention has been called to a letter in the Press signed by Mrs. Nicholson, which contains practically the same statements as those referred to in the first five paragraphs of my hon. Friend's question. I have made inquiry into these statements with the result that I can do no more than refer my hon. Friend to my reply to his former question on the same subject. The inquiry, both for the present and the former question, was made by one of the medical inspectors of the Local Government Board, who was fully satisfied as to the view of the facts indicated in my former reply. I am informed that Dr. Currell has been the medical attendant of the late Andrew Nicholson during the last three years or thereabouts and that he last attended him from 31st May till 27th June. It is the case that he did not call upon him for three weeks after the vaccination as during that period the medical officer of health was in almost daily attendance. Thereafter Dr. Currell was in attendance until Nicholson's death. Under the circumstances I see no reason for departing from the conclusion stated by me in my last reply, that there is no necessity to alter the certificate.