§ MR. PICKERSGILLI beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether an inquiry has bean made into the recent outbreak of smallpox in Middlesbrough; and, if so, when the report may be expected to be published?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARDNo inquiry, in the ordinary sense of the term, was made by the Local Government Board into the outbreak of small-pox in Middlesbrough of November, 1897—June, 1898. But, when the disease began to spread, a Medical Inspector was sent there by the Board to advise as to the best means of controlling the disease and of preventing its spread within the borough, and 1117 to the neighbouring districts. No formal report was made to the Board, though they were furnished from time to time with memoranda as to the progress of the disease and the means of prevention that were being adopted. Under these circumstances, the Board do not propose to issue any report on the outbreak; but I may mention that the Middlesbrough Medical Officer of Health in July last issued a special report on vaccination and its relation to the recent epidemic of small-pox.