HC Deb 22 November 1934 vol 295 cc254-5W
Mr. GROVES

asked the Home Secretary what is the yearly number of persons proceeded against under the Vaccination Acts for the last 10 years for which the records are available; how many orders to vaccinate were made each year; and how many persons were fined under either Section 29 or Section 31 of the Vaccination Act, 1867?

Sir J. GILMOUR

During the ten years from 1924 to 1933, the number of persons proceeded against in England and Wales for offences against the Vaccination Acts, 1867 to 1907, the number of such persons fined, and the number of orders directing vaccination made under Section 31 of the. Act of 1867 were as follow:

Year. Number of persons proceeded against. Number fined. Number of orders to vaccinate.
1924 246 155 255
1925 221 143 192
1926 176 118 138
1927 148 114 136
1928 182 131 185
1929 129 100 82
1930 119 85 73
1931 73 52 65
1932 87 65 76
1933 118 100 43

Mr. GROVES

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware of the death of Winifred Annie Edwards, aged 20 years, a nurse at the Birmingham Hospital, who died at the Queen's Hospital, Birmingham, on 16th October, from post- vaccinal encephalomyelitis; that Professor Haswell Wilson, a pathologist at Birmingham University, stated the condition to be due to a reaction of the vaccine and that the girl would probably not have died if she had not been vaccinated; what kind of lymph was used; whether he is aware that Miss Edwards was vaccinated in order to take up a position at a Sheffield institution; whether the Sheffield institution make vaccination a condition of employment; and whether there is any possibility of compensation being paid to Miss Edward's relatives?

Sir H. YOUNG

The answer to the first, second, third, fifth and sixth parts of the question is in the affirmative. I understand that the lymph used in this case was supplied by "Dr. Renner's" establishment which is licensed under the Therapeutic Substances Act for the manufacture of lymph. I am not aware of any enactment under which compensation could be paid in such a case.