§ Mr. EDWARDSasked the Minister of Labour, as representing the Ministry of Health, whether his attention has been called to the fact that certain employers are compelling their workpeople to be vaccinated, giving them the alternative of dismissal; and whether the War Office has issued instructions that refusal of soldiers to be vaccinated is to be treated as misconduct?
§ Sir M. BARLOWMy right hon. Friend has no information as to the first part of the question. The second part should be addressed to the Under-Secretary of State for War.
§ Mr. BROMFIELDasked the Minister of Labour, as representing the Ministry of Health, whether he is aware that three applications have been made to the clerk to the Doncaster and Mexborough Joint Hospital Board for details of small-pox cases treated by his Board, as allowed by Section 8 of the Vaccination Act, 1907, and that no reply has been forthcoming to these applications: and whether he will instruct the said clerk to forward the details of the cases or allow the applicant to examine the hospital register in accordance with the Act?
§ Sir M. BARLOWMy right hon. Friend has no information as to the first part of the question, but he will communicate with the joint hospital board in the matter.
§ Captain BOWYERasked the Minister of Labour, as representing the Ministry of Health, why it is that private practitioners are unable to obtain Government lymph, which is the purest there is?
§ Sir M. BARLOWThe obligations of the Government in this matter are limited to the supply of lymph for the purposes of public vaccination, and as at 3189W present advised my right hon. Friend does not consider it practicable to extend the supply to private practitioners.
Mr. T. THOMSONasked the Minister of Labour, as representing the Minister of Health, the total number of deaths occurring this year from small-pox amongst those vaccinated, and also amongst those not vaccinated, and the percentage rate of deaths to cases in each class?
§ Sir M. BARLOWThe total number of deaths from small-pox occurring during the first eleven months of this year was 27. Twelve of these cases had been vaccinated, 11 were unvaccinated, three showed no evidence of vaccination and one was vaccinated during the incubation period of small-pox. The total number of eases of small-pox occurring in vaccinated persons during the 11 months was 271 and the percentage rate of deaths to cases in this class, irrespective of age, was 4.4. The total number of unvaccinated cases, including those which showed no evidence of vaccination or were vaccinated only during the incubation period of small-pox was 625, and the percentage rate of deaths to cases in this class, irrespective of age, was 2.4. In six cases no information is available as to vaccination. There were no fatal cases among vaccinated persons under 35 years of age.