Mr. Baringmoved, that copies of all information or opinions communicated to the Government on the nature and extent of any infectious diseases prevalent in the eastern part of Europe, should be laid before the House. He understood that a Board of Health had been established, and he thought they should publish every thing that came to their knowledge as to the precautions to be taken towards warding off this scourge. He did not make this motion out of any suspicion that the Government had not taken adequate means to be informed of the nature of the evil, or to check its extending itself into these dominions, but from a conviction that the matter itself was of the greatest possible public importance, and that it would be advisable to lay, as soon as was convenient, all the information which had been obtained upon the subject before the people.
Mr. Warburtonseconded the Motion, and observed, that he should like to know whether any of those individuals who were to report their opinions to the Government were persons who had witnessed the progress of the disease in India.
§ Mr. Poulett Thomsonagreed, that it would be highly proper to lay the required information before the public at the earliest possible opportunity. He wished, however, that the hon. Member would so alter the words of his motion as not to require copies of all the information received upon the subject, for that included many Consular communications, which contained nothing worthy of the expense of publication with respect to this particular matter. If the hon. Member would adopt the words "extracts of all information," &c, he should have no objection to agree to the motion, the object of which would be fully attained by those words.
§ The motion as amended, agreed to.