§ MR. KNOWLESI beg to ask the Secretary to the Local Government Board whether he can make any statement with regard to the inquiry into the cause of the death of a female cleaner of the House of Commons referred to in the answer of the President of the Local Government Board to my question yesterday; and whether the cause of death was Asiatic cholera?
§ THE SECRETARY TO THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Sir W. FOSTER,) Derby, IlkestonYes, Sir; a very careful inquiry has hitherto failed to discover any connection, direct or indirect, between this case and any choleraic infection. Nevertheless, the scientific investigation made since yesterday gives a very unfavourable aspect to the case. There is evidence that the woman has for some time past suffered from diarrhœa, and was in a weak and unsatisfactory condition of health, and, moreover, that her home was in some respects in an insanitary condition. I may also add that since the reply given yesterday, one of the Board's Inspectors, Dr. Sweeting, has been instructed to communicate at once with the officers of the Vestry as to the measures to be immediately taken with regard to the sanitary condition of the premises which the woman occupied. If these measures have not already been taken and the premises put into a satisfactory sanitary condition this will be done forthwith.
MR. GIBSON BOWLESHas the hon. Gentleman observed a noxious 670 smell in the "Aye" Lobby at the present moment?
§ [No answer was given.]