HC Deb 21 March 1878 vol 238 cc1745-7
MR. MELDON

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland, Whether his atten- tion has been directed to the following paragraphs of the resolution adopted by the Public Health Committee of the Corporation of Dublin on the 10th of December last, and forwarded to the Dublin Sanitary Association, in reply to their request that the Public Health Committee should join the Dublin Sanitary Association in the application to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland for an inquiry into the causes of the excessive death-rate of Dublin:— While the Committee cannot join in applying for a sanitary inquiry, they at the same time have no objection whatever to it, and will be happy to co-operate in any way possible with the Commission, should it be appointed. The Committee would be glad if the Sanitary Association will state this in its application for a Commission, should it make such application: The Committee think that the Commission, if appointed, should not only inquire into the causes of the high death-rate in Dublin, hut also into the best means of abating them. In one way the suggested inquiry might be useful—in awakening public opinion to the necessity of very active and energetic, and, possibly, costly measures being adopted if the mortality in Dublin is to be reduced to a minimum. The hands of the sanitary authority would thus be strengthened. The Committee are most anxious to do everything possible to improve the public health, but frequently find themselves hampered by the want of public appreciation of the necessity of sanitary action: whether the Public Health Committee did not assent to and approve of the application; and, whether, havingregard to the offer of the Public Health Committee of the Corporation to co-operate in the matter, and to the fact that an unusually severe epidemic of smallpox is raging in Dublin, he is now prepared to reconsider the question of the propriety of ordering such an inquiry to be held?

MR. GRAY

also asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland, Whether his attention has been called to a Report of the Public Health Committee of the Dublin Corporation, dated 28th December, on the death-rate in Dublin, and the application of the Sanitary Association for an inquiry, and containing not merely the first Report of the Association, and the Resolution of the Committee, but further Reports from the Association, and further Reports thereon by the consulting medical officer, and the subsequent Resolution thereon of the Committee, and concluding thus:— Your Committee have now placed before the Council, and through it before the public, the fullest information in its power with reference to the important questions under consideration; that the death-rate in Dublin is high there can be no question, but it will be seen that some of the cases are beyond control, others must be dealt with gradually, and your Committee is sparing no exertion to render the city as healthy as possible under the circumstances, and since their last Report your Committee see no reason to apply for or recommend a Commission; whether, before putting the public to the expense of printing the Reports as he indicated some days ago he would consent to do, he will inquire if they cannot be had gratis by any respectable person who applies to the Public Health Committee for them; whether they have not been supplied to the Dublin Press; and, whether, if he still decides upon issuing them as a Parliamentary Paper, he will take care that the entire set of Reports, and not merely ex parte portions of them, are given?

MR. J. LOWTHER

Sir, my attention has been called to all these various documents relating to the public health of Dublin, the extracts from which, quoted respectively by the two hon. Gentlemen, I think, sufficiently answer each other without any further detaining the House. I have, therefore, nothing to add to the answer I made the other day except to say that if the hon. Member for Tipperary, or any hon. Member on his behalf, thinks fit to move for any further Papers, I shall be glad to lay them upon the Table, provided they do not assume too voluminous a form.