§ MR. JAMES ROWLANDS (Finsbury, E.)I beg to ask the Postmaster General whether the medical officer keeps a set of indiarubber stamps with which he stamps the medical certificates sent in from private practitioners, thereby limiting the sick leave certified for by the doctors without making any professional inquiry into the case?
§ * MR. RAIKESThe indiarubber stamps are used to save time which would otherwise be occupied in writing. The object of limiting the period covered by the certificates, or rather of requiring the absentee to report himself before the period has expired is, I understand, that the Medical Officer who is responsible to the Department may make himself personally acquainted with the particulars of the case; and not because there is any disposition to impugn the bonâ fides of the certificate.