§ Mr. Viantasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that it was a soldier who had been successfully vaccinated in infancy and again two years ago who introduced small-pox into the Mount Vernon Hospital and spread the infection to 11 other people; and whether, in view of the fact that vaccinated soldiers have contracted small-pox during this war, he will either stop all leave of troops to any part of the country where small-pox cases have occurred, or make no distinction between vaccinated and unvaccinated men.
§ Sir J. GriggI am aware that this soldier had been vaccinated successfully in infancy and again in 1942. Owing to the protection thus given him he had a mild attack of small-pox in spite of the fact that the strain was a virulent one. As to the last part of my hon. Friend's Question, experience shows that in the interests of the health of the troops it is necessary to maintain the policy outlined in the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for North Tottenham (Mr. R. C. Morrison) on 21st March.