§ Mr. Viantasked the Minister of Health, in connection with the announcements of his Department in the Press and on the radio in regard to the outbreak of smallpox at Mount Vernon Hospital, why no mention was made of the fact that the disease was introduced into the hospital by a re-vaccinated soldier from the Middle East who was wrongly diagnosed as suffering from measles and chickenpox; why the patient was not isolated; how this wrong diagnosis arose; and what steps he proposes to take to minimise the risk of similar mistakes in future.
§ Mr. WillinkA statement to the effect indicated in the first part of the Question was issued by my Department and was published in the medical Press and in at least one lay newspaper. In reply to the second part of the Question, I am informed that the patient was isolated, first for measles and chickenpox, and later, as soon as smallpox was diagnosed, in a smallpox hospital. The answer to the third part of the Question is that the signs and symptoms observed by competent medical officers did not lead them to diagnose smallpox. This diagnosis was made retrospectively in the light of subsequent events. On the fourth part, diagnosis is a matter for the medical officer in attendance but, since many medical men have had no opportunity of familiarising themselves with smallpox, I have enrolled in each region a panel of experienced men to assist in diagnosis.