§ MR. KIRKsaid, he would beg to ask the Secretary of State for War, Why no allowance appears for the medical officer of the Military Prison at Dublin, the duties appearing to be performed by any officer of the medical staff; whether Surgeon Major Tuffnell, the medical officer performing those duties, has not completed nearly twenty-seven years' military medical service, nearly all in Dublin, on the full pay of his rank; is he not the only medical officer on full pay in charge of a military prison; does he not hold Civil appointments in Dublin; and is he not also extensively engaged in private practice in that city; is there any reason affecting the interests of the service rendering it desirable that he should continue to enjoy such exceptional privileges; and, does his retention on full pay in charge of a military prison stop promotion among other medical men, and the employment of a half-pay medical officer in the prison at Dublin?
CAPTAIN VIVIANsaid, in reply, that Mr. Tuffnell performed the duties of the medical officer of the military prison at Dublin, and that he had done so since 1846. He was paid as a surgeon major upon the medical staff. It was true that he had performed those duties for not twenty-seven, but twenty-eight years' completed service; but, until 1860, he was only an assistant surgeon, having foregone his promotion in order to retain his present appointment. In that year he was promoted to the rank of surgeon as a compensation for the loss of a Regius Professorship which he held in Dublin under a Royal Commission. It was also true that he was the only medical officer on full pay in charge of a military prison; but he held his appointment in virtue of his having been permanently appointed in 1846. Mr. 326 Tuffnell was likewise surgeon to the City of Dublin Hospital, was one of the Council of Examiners of the College of Surgeons of Ireland, and had a large private practice; but there was no reason for thinking that his other duties interfered with those connected with the military prison of which he had charge. He claimed the right to retain this appointment as compensation for the loss of the Regius Professorship. It was true that his retention of this appointment did stop the employment of a half-pay medical officer to perform the duties; but it could not be said to stop promotion, inasmuch as Surgeon Major Tuffnell was upon the supernumerary list. In 1874 Surgeon Major Tuffnell would have arrived at that period of service which would enable him, if necessary, to be compulsorily retired, but until then it was not likely that he would resign the appointment.