Mr. T. THOMSONasked the Minister of Health the total number of deaths which occurred last year from smallpox amongst those vaccinated and also amongst those not vaccinated, and the percentage rate of deaths to cases in each case?
§ Lord E. PERCYThe total number of deaths certified last year as due to smallpox was 27, but my right hon. Friend is advised that one of these cases was probably incorrectly diagnosed. Of the remaining 26 cases, 11, whose ages varied between 43 and 74 years, had been vaccinated in infancy but not since, 10 were unvaccinated, three showed no evidence of vaccination and two were vaccinated during the incubation period of smallpox. According to the information at present available, the total number of cases of smallpox occurring in vaccinated persons last year was 275, and the percentage rate of deaths to cases in this class, irrespective of age, was 4.0. The total number of unvaccinated cases, including those which showed no evidence or were vaccinated only during the incubation period of smallpox was 687, and the percentage of deaths to cases in this class, irrespective of age, was 2.1. As my right hon. Friend has previously stated, 24 of the 26 fatal cases occurred in the outbreak of virulent smallpox in London and the neighbourhood, and in this outbreak the fatality rate was 23.7 per cent. in the case of vaccinated persons and 60 per cent. in the case of unvaccinated persons.