§ MR. MUNDELLAI beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been called to the long continued prevalence of ophthalmia in the Central London District (Poor Law) schools at Hanwell, in which there are 1,100 children from the unions of the City of London and St. Saviour's, Surrey; whether ophthalmia has been present in these schools for the last 28 years; whether, in 1874, the proportion of children with healthy eyes were reported to be less than 15 per cent; whether, between October 1875 and April 1886, 2,420 children suffered from ophthalmic disease, of which 191 cases were "annually produced in the school"; and whether the number now separated on account of this disease is more than double the number separated a year ago; whether in the North Surrey Schools at Anerley, there are from 800 to 900 children, drawn from the same class as the Hanwell children, with only one case of ophthalmia, although in 1873 there were 300 to 400 children suffering from it, and whether the disease was practically eradicated by action taken on the advice of Mr. Nettleship, an eminent oculist; whether Mr. Nettleship has now advised the Hanwell managers to follow the course which was pursued in the North Surrey Schools, and notwithstanding that his suggestions have met with the support and approval of Mr. Hedley, the General Inspector of the Local Government Board for the Metropolitan district, and have been before the managers for more than four months, no action upon them has yet been taken; and whether, having regard to the serious consequences attendant upon this disease, which often remains active, with intervals of comparative cure, for many years after a child leaves school, and respecting which Mr. Nettleship states that "it is no uncommon thing at our Eye Hospitals, and eye departments of general hospitals, to see young men and women, of from 20 to 30, whose lives have been made miserable, and their livelihood precarious in the extreme, by frequent relapses of granular ophthalmia, which 1229 was first contracted in a Poor Law school," he will take such measures as may be needful to secure that this scourge shall be promptly and effectually dealt with?
§ *THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. RITCHIE,) Tower Hamlets, St. George'sThe statements in the question of the right hon. Gentleman as to the prevalence of ophthalmia in the schools at Hanwell belonging to the Central London School District appear substantially to be in accordance with the facts. With regard to the schools at Anerley belonging to the North Surrey School District, Dr. Bridges and Dr. Mouat, two of the Board's Inspectors, in 1873 advised that between 300 and 400 children at those schools should be placed under medical care, and Mr. Nettleship was selected to take charge of them. The Inspectors at the same time advised many structural and hygienic alterations, which were adopted by the managers, and the result has been that opthalmia has been practically eradicated from the schools. The managers of the Central London School District were in 1875 strongly urged by the Local Government Board, by letter and in conference with the Board's Inspectors, to take steps similar to those taken at Anerley, but they did not carry out the suggestions then made. Measures, however, were taken which, though not in the opinion of the Board sufficiently energetic, had yet the effect of reducing the disease for some years. Two years ago ophthalmia became again prevalent, and since then the Board's Inspectors and Architect have had interviews with the managers, and the advice given by them has been endorsed by Mr. Nettleship, who was subsequently called in by the managers. The managers have not as yet, however, given effect to this advice. The Local Government Board on the 3rd inst. addressed to the managers an urgent communication, impressing upon them the very grave responsibility which they will incur if any further delay occurs before steps are taken to provide an effectual remedy for the very unsatisfactory condition of things which has so long existed. The Board have specially urged certain structural alterations at the school, and especially the provision of a distinct infant school. I cannot 1230 but express my regret that these arrangements have not already been adopted by the managers. I am strongly impressed with the importance of the matter, and I will take care that every pressure is brought to bear upon the managers so as to secure the sanitary condition of the schools being placed in a satisfactory state.
§ MR. MUNDELLAI am grateful for the answer of the right hon. Gentleman, and I will repeat part of the question a week hence in order to ascertain if anything has been done in the matter.