§ MR. EYKYNasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, If the attention of the Commissioners of Police has been drawn to the fact that Metropolitan Cabs are used for the conveyance of foul linen from the houses of various persons, whereby contagious and infectious diseases may be transmitted; and if it is his intention to direct the Commissioners of Police to put a stop to Metropolitan Cabs conveying foul linen; if not, what steps he proposes to take in order to put a stop to a practice likely to prove so detrimental to public health?
MR. BRUCEsaid, in reply, that an inquiry into the matter had failed to show that the conveyance of foul linen in metropolitan cabs had caused any mischief in the way of the transmission of contagious or infectious diseases. In the case of one establishment cabs were used for the conveyance of the linen of patients; but the cabs were employed for that purpose only. If it could be shown that diseases had been transmitted by the conveyance of foul linen in cabs it might become necessary to introduce an Act of Parliament to prevent the practice in future.