§ Mr. W. THORNEasked the President of the Board of Education whether at least 300 school children have been taken 1570W to the Poplar cleansing station at Bromley-by-Bow since the outbreak of smallpox in that district on 14th February: whether the door of this cleansing station opens directly on to the infected side of the disinfecting station; whether the children's clothing is taken through this door; whether contacts since removed to hospital suffering from small pox were brought to this station; whether a man working at the station has been removed suffering from small-pox: what action does he propose to take should any of the children sent to this station for cleansing purposes develop small-pox: whether he will see that the parents of such children are fully compensated: and whether he will arrange that any children needing cleansing shall be sent to other stations while small-pox infection is likely to prevail near the station at Bromley-by-Bow?
§ Dr. ADDISONI have been asked to answer this question. The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the remainder of the question, I am advised that the facts are as follows:—The cleansing station is within the same ground as the disinfecting station, but the children who are taken to the cleansing station do not enter or leave the cleansing station by the door opening into the large yard, which contains also the entrance to the infected side of the disinfecting station. The children's clothing is, of course, taken through this door to the disinfecting station. The contacts of cases of small pox are brought for necessary disinfection to a shelter which is within the same ground as the cleansing station, but is situated at some considerable distance from that station. The man referred to in the question was the driver of the disinfecting van whose duties took him to the home of a person who had been removed suffering from small-pox. The man was aware of that fact, but nevertheless he refused to be vaccinated. I have no authority to direct the payment of any compensation to the parents of children who may contract small-pox, nor do I consider it necessary in present circumstances to close the station to children. But several cases of small-pox have, recently occurred in Poplar, and it is obviously the duty of parents to see that their children are protected by vaccination.