§ MR. MACALEESEI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether any complaint has been made of the imperfect list of medicines and appliances issued by the Treasury for the Irish workhouse hospitals; whether the Treasury make an allowance of one-half the cost on the medicines and appliances contained in their own lists only, leaving the unions to pay the full amount on all articles procured outside said lists; and whether, in consequence of the deficient stocks of appliances allowed by the Treasury, many cases have occurred where poor persons 1152 have for weeks been kept waiting for treatment; if so, will this matter be inquired into with a view to effective reform.
§ MR. G. W. BALFOURThe answer to the first paragraph is in the negative. The list of medicines and medical and surgical appliances to which the hon. Member refers is prescribed in accordance with rules issued by the Local Government Board, and under Section 58, Sub-section 2, of the Local Government Act, recoupment is only allowed in respect of one-half the cost of such medicines and appliances as are prescribed by that list. The Board have no information of any cases of the character mentioned in the third paragraph, but if particulars of such cases are given they will be inquired into. The Board's list of medicines, numbering 416 articles, and medical and surgical appliances, numbering 162 articles, has been most carefully prepared, and has received the approval of the Royal Colleges of Physicians and Surgeons in Ireland, and contains, in the Board's opinion, all the medicines and dressings, and other requisites necessary for ordinary workhouse and dispensary practice.