§ MR. BUTT (for Dr. O'LEARY)asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland, Whether he is aware that the Public Health Committee of the Corporation of Dublin, as the sanitary authority under the Act of 1874, called a meeting by circular, for Wednesday the 8th of March, of the Medical Sanitary Officers of Dublin, to ascertain their opinion as to the cause of the high death rate (39 per thousand); if such meeting was held, and what opinion was expressed by the Medical Sanitary Officers, and what recommendation the said officers made; and, whether the Public Health Committee has taken any action upon such recommendation; and, if not, whether the Government will do so?
§ SIR MICHAEL HICKS-BEACHSir, I am informed that such a meeting was held on the 15th of March, and that the opinion expressed by the meeting was that the cause of the high death-rate which has recently prevailed in Dublin was mainly due to diseases of the respiratory organs. Of 230 deaths within the three months in excess of the average of the corresponding quarter of the 10 previous years, 175 were due to diseases of this kind. The most preventible diseases, as fever and scarlet fever, show a marked decrease 1180 as compared with previous years. No explanation was given to or by the meeting on the subject. The Returns will be laid on the Table.