DR. CAMFAZONasked the President of the Local Government Board, What has been done since Dr. Cory's appointment to provide for the public supply of vaccine lymph direct from the calf; whether the Vaccination Department has been, or will be, instructed to issue lymph free for purpose of revaccination to all medical men who may ask for it; and, what steps have been taken to supply adequate hospital accommodation for smallpox cases, and so put an end to the public danger which arises from the treatment of so many cases of that disease in their own homes, and the consequent maintenance of so many separate foci of disease?
§ MR.W. H. SMITHasked the President of the Local Government Board, If he will state what is the result of his communications with the Metropolitan District Asylums Board with reference to the insufficiency of the existing hospital accommodation for smallpox 792 patients within the Metropolitan district; and, if he will state whether steps will be taken forthwith to provide the necessary increase of hospital accommodation to meet the growth of the epidemic?
§ MR. DODSON ,in reply, said, that great and unexpected difficulty had been found in obtaining the necessary premises for the public supply of vaccine lymph direct from the calf. He was glad, however, to inform the hon. Member that premises had now been secured, and the necessary preparations would be completed without delay. Preliminary arrangements had been made under which the requisite means would be supplied as soon as the buildings were ready. He feared it would not be practicable for the Department to undertake the supply of calf lymph for re-vaccination to any medical man who might apply. In reply to the Question of the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Westminster (Mr. W. H. Smith), he had to say that hospital accommodation had been provided for a limited number of convalescent small-pox patients on the property of the Metropolitan Asylums Board at Darenth, and that, owing to the unremitting efforts of the managers, convalescents had been removed there in the short space of one week, to the great relief of the Metropolitan hospitals. Negotiations were in progress with the view of obtaining additional accommodation for patients; but the matter was one of difficulty, owing to the proceedings taken in some eases and threatened in others, for closing seine hospitals, and preventing the opening of new ones.
§ MR. SCLATER BOOTHasked whether the Government would undertake to propose legislation with a view of clothing the Local Government Board with power to carry out the objects of the Act of 1856?
§ MR. DODSONsaid, he would like very much to hear from his right hon. Friend, or some other person, advice as to what were the requisite powers.