§ MR. MACDONAI beg to ask the Secretary to the Local Government Board whether he is aware that the Southwark Coroner held an inquiry at Guy's Hospital, on Thursday, the 2nd instant, concerning the death of William Powney, a waterside labourer, of Bermondsey, who died on the previous Monday from anthrax, caught whilst removing merchandise from a. barge to a wharf at Bermondsey Wall; and will he explain how this terrible disease has come into our country, and what steps he proposes taking to prevent its further progress in our midst?
§ * THE SECRETARY TO THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD(Sir W. FOSTER,) Derby, IlkestonThe attention of the Local Government Board has been drawn to the report of the inquest in question. From that report it appears that the deceased, William Powney, had been engaged in unloading grain, and that no skins of any kind had been landed. According to the evidence of Dr. Taylor, the house surgeon at Guy's Hospital, the case was one of undoubted anthrax, and he had endeavoured to ascertain whether the grain bags had been made of skins, &c, but in the end he was quite unable to say how the disease had been contracted. The Local Government Board are unable to add any information as to how in this instance the disease 225 came into the country. Many months of careful and detailed inquiry have, at intervals extending over some years, been devoted by the Medical Department of the Board to questions as to the prevention of the disease. A number of useful suggestions have been made, but I regret to state that hitherto no means which are reasonably practicable for the complete prevention of the disease have been suggested.
§ MR. MACDONAIs it not the fact that there is a great increase of this disease, and that it is imported from abroad by skins?
§ * SIR W. FOSTERThere has been some increase of late. The disease is usually imported by skins or wool. But this particular case could not be traced to that source.