§ MR. CHANNING (Northamptonshire, E.)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he will direct an inquiry into the circumstances attending the ptomaine poisoning of two ladies by decomposed cream; and whether he will take prompt steps to check the improper use of preservatives to enable articles of food to be disposed of to customers when in a state of decomposition dangerous to health.
§ MR. WALTER LONGI have seen a newspaper paragraph as to the inquest in the case mentioned in the question, and I will endeavour to obtain a report from the medical officer of health of the borough on the subject I expect to receive in a few days the Report of the Departmental Committee on Food Preservatives, and I hope then to be in a better position to judge how dangerous decomposition in food may be satisfactorily prevented.