§ MR. PULESTONasked the President of the Local Government Board, Whether he can give any statistics showing the extent of the present smallpox epidemic; whether this disease is more prevalent than in former years; and, if it is, whether he will cause such temporary hospitals to be erected for small-pox patients as were put up during the epidemic of 1877?
§ MR. DODSONAt so short a notice I cannot give precise statistics of the extent of the epidemic; but up to the present time it has not been fatal to any appreciable degree except in the Metropolis. It is, unfortunately, more prevalent in the Metropolis than on an average of years. As compared with recent epidemics, it is believed that the present will about rank with 1877–8 or 1866–7; but that it is not anything like as fatal as that of 1871–2. The Local Government Board have recommended the local authorities to provide temporary accommodation for patients as far as practicable, and this has been already done or is in progress in some instances.
§ MR. PULESTONinquired whether the Board had any powers to compel the provision of accommodation?
§ MR. DODSONNo.