§ SIR C. DILKEI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he can explain how it is that in the monthly official Return of the Diseases of Occupations 13 cases of phosphorus poisoning are reported for June, 1898, as against none for June, 1897, but the whole 13 cases are shown to have occurred among adult male workers, and none among the other five classes of workers scheduled; and whether cases among women have been brought to his knowledge as having occurred in the month in question?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENTThere is a mistake in the figures; eight of the 13 cases were cases of women. The 13 cases are made up of the 12 cases (besides Lean's) which have been ascertained as having occurred at Bryant and May's during the years 1893 to 1898, and being first reported by the firm in June, were included in that month's list, and of one case which did not occur at a lucifer match factory.