Mr. T. THOMSONasked the Minister of Health whether encephalo-myelitis was mentioned as a cause of death on the certificates of death in the case of the seven deaths from that disease which occurred shortly after vaccination; whether an inquest was held on any of the cases in question; and whether the lymph used for the vaccinations was issued by his Department?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINI assume that the lion. Member is referring to seven cases recently discussed in the 51W medical press, and I am informed that, so far as it has been possible to identify these fatalities, in none of the seven deaths was "encephalo-myelitis" mentioned on the practitioner's certificate as a, cause of death. An inquest was held in one case. In four of the seven cases the lymph used for the vaccination was issued by my Department, and in one instance a proprietary lymph was used, but no information as to the source of the lymph used in the remaining two cases is now available. I may remind the hon. Member that these deaths occurred in 1912, 1922 and 1923.