HC Deb 21 February 1884 vol 284 cc1592-4
MR. CAVENDISH BENTINCK

asked the President of the Local Government Board, Whether, at the meeting of the Medway Board of Guardians held on Wednesday last, the result of the suspension of the Contagious Diseases Acts, in the Chatham District, was fully discussed; whether the medical officer (Dr. Buchanan) attended the meeting, and wished to know what he should do with male persons who entered the house with venereal disease, as he could not put them amongst the other patients in the hospital; whether Dr. Buchanan is correctly reported to have said to the Guardians— The condition of affairs that existed were of such a shocking nature as to be unfit for publication. Never in the whole course of his medical practice had he experienced such a state of affairs as there was at the present time. Husbands and wives, and babes, born within the last two months, he was sorry to say, were suffering from the disease, and he had to turn many away from his door who were suffering. Little girls were also suffering. It was something shocking. Male persons were likewise under his treatment in the Union, and he did not know what to do with them. Certainly they would have to have venereal wards again. He knew of three streets where there were nothing but brothels. He had no personal feeling in the matter, but thought it his duty to state how the disease was spreading. When the Metropolitan Police were there prostitution was subdued, but now the women made no secret of their infamous trade. He had been connected with that Union since 1864, and he never knew so many male persons with the disease as at the present time; whether the Medway Guardians have made any report relative to the above matters to the Local Government Board; and, whether he will institute a full inquiry into the circumstances, and lay the result of such inquiry upon the Table of the House?

MR. GEORGE RUSSELL

The Local Government Board, when Notice was given of this Question, had not received any communication from the Medway Guardians on the subject referred to. The Board wrote to the Clerk to the Guardians for information, and it appears that the medical officer of the workhouse attended the meeting of the Guardians on the day alluded to in the Question, and reported that— If the number of venereal cases, which was greatly increasing, became much larger, new wards would be required for such cases, and also gave his views with regard to the Contagious Diseases Acts. The report which appeared in the local newspaper of the proceedings of this meeting is stated to be in many respects inaccurate. The Board, in reply to their request to be furnished with a statement of the number of inmates of the workhouse, who, according to the entries in the workhouse medical relief book, were suffering from this disease, are informed that there are three such cases. They are cases of male adults, the youngest of whom is 28 years of age. At the corresponding date in 1883 there was one case. It would not be within the province of the Board to institute an inquiry into the prevalence of prostitution and the communication of this disease at Chatham; but they will request one of their Inspectors to confer with the Guardians as to the provision which should be made for cases of this disease which are admitted into the workhouse, if it should appear that further provision is necessary.

MR. CAVENDISH BENTINCK

Will the hon. Gentleman lay Dr. Buchanan's Report on the Table?

SIR CHARLES W. DILKE

requested that Notice should be given of the Question.