§ COLONEL BROOKFIELD (Sussex, Rye)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether the attention of the military authorities has been called to the amount of suffering caused in the South African field force by the diseased and neglected condition of the soldiers' teeth; whether he can state what arrangements are at present made for providing dental surgical attendance for the field force, and whether the number of dental surgeons now employed has been reported 581 as adequate; whether this subject is included in the matters now under consideration by the Committee which is to report on the Royal Army Medical Corps; and whether the Government, in view of the importance of the whole question in time of peace as well as in time of war, are giving it their serious attention.
§ MR. BRODRICKThe question of providing dental surgical attendance for the troops in South Africa has been and is receiving careful attention, and four dentists were despatched thither on the 17th June. In addition, a number of refugee dentists have been employed with the troops.