§ MR. PELLasked the President of the Local Government Board, Whether the Metropolitan Boards of Guardians and the Vestries have replied to the letters addressed to them by the Local Government Board on February 23rd, 1881; and, if he can inform the House what extent of provision has been or is being made for hospital treatment and isolation of pauper and non-pauper cases of smallpox in the Metropolis?
§ MR. DODSONSir, almost all the Boards of Guardians and Vestries have replied to the Board's letters. Of the Boards of Guardians 14 have promised to provide some accommodation for the reception of small-pox cases of the pauper class, and 14 Vestries and District Boards have undertaken to the same effect as regards non-paupers; but I am not at present in a position to say for what number of cases accommodation will be thus provided, although, looking to the extent of the epidemic and the difficulty of finding proper accommodation, I am very apprehensive that the provision which has yet been made will not be found adequate to meet the demands on the authorities referred to. It should be added that the beds at the disposal of the managers of the Metropolitan Asylums Board, in number 968, are all full, and these are now obliged to refuse any more admissions.