§ MR. HOPWOOD (Lancashire, S.E., Middleton)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for India whether inoculation of soldiers and others with cholera virus is taking place under the sanction of the authorities representing the Government of Agra; is this an experiment; by whose advice was it adopted; was it first submitted for consideration to the Government medical advisers, and with what result; and by what authority, law, or function of Government, is the proceeding sanctioned?
§ * THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (MR. GEORGE RUSSELL,) North Beds.The Secretary of State has no information as to the proceedings mentioned in the question of the hon. Member: but he will cause inquiry to be made. If such experiments have taken place, it has, no doubt, been by voluntary arrangement, and not by any authority, law, or function of Government. At the request of the Russian Ambassador, the Government of India was asked to give M. Haffkine facilities for visiting districts, towns and military stations where cholera may be prevalent, for seeing hospitals where cholera patients may be under treatment, and for inquiring into the causes and circumstances of cholera epidemics.
§ MR. HOPWOODDo I understand the hon. Gentleman to say that inquiry will be made into the circumstances?
§ MR. GEORGE RUSSELLCertainly.