§ Mr. LUNNasked the Secretary of State for War whether at any time during 1918 and 1919 consignments of assorted anti influenza vaccines, each labelled distinctively, were sent to Army medical officers in charge of troops, with instructions to inoculate batches of soldiers with the different vaccines and to note carefully the effect of each vaccine as regards preventing influenza; whether instructions were sent to medical officers that they should inform the soldiers that the inoculation was entirely voluntary; and whether some of the medical officers who made the trial found that the vaccines had no effect at all in preventing influenza?
1925W
§ Mr. CHURCHILLThe hon. Member is misinformed; no consignments of assorted anti-influenza vaccines have been issued to Army Medical Officers. Anti-influenza vaccine of a composition decided upon by a conference of specialists and prepared at the Royal Army Medical College has been issued to commands. Prior to this a limited amount of a vaccine prepared at Guy's Hospital was used in one command. These vaccines were only used in cases of men who volunteered to be inoculated. Medical Officers were instructed to prepare statistical returns, showing the incidence, deaths, and occurrence of pulmonary complications amongst inoculated and uninoculated persons. As regards the second part of the question, all inoculations with vaccines in the British Army are, and have always been, voluntary, and no special mention of the point was made when instructions were issued as to the use of this vaccine. As regards the last part, the general opinion of medical officers has been that the vaccine affords some protection against attack, and distinctly lessons the incidence and severity of pulmonary complications.