HC Deb 21 October 1937 vol 327 cc52-3W
Groves

asked the Secretary of State for War whether the arrangements made in December, 1936, to inoculate against influenza 500 men from five corps were carried out; if so, whether any of them, and, if so, how many, subsequently developed influenza; and what was the interval in each case between the inoculation and development of influenza?

Mr. Hore-Belisha

Six hundred and seventy-eight men who volunteered were inoculated against influenza; of these 18 developed illnesses diagnosed as "influenza," to during the first, two during the second week, and six more than two weeks after inoculation. The inoculations were carried out at the time when the influenza epidemic was at its height. Before any beneficial effects of inoculation could have had time to operate the general influenza incidence had become so low that no conclusions as to the efficacy of the inoculations can be drawn.

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