§ MR. DILLONI beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that in the prison camp on the racecourse at Johannesburg the deaths during the three weeks ending 13th May, 1901, were 80 out of a total of 3,125 in the camp, and that 220 are reported sick in the camp, chiefly suffering from measles; can he state what medical provision there is for treatment of sick in this camp, and whether any arrangements are in force for the isolation of those suffering from infectious diseases.
§ MR. HERBERT LEWIS (Flint Boroughs)May I, at the same time, ask the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that for the three weeks ending the 13th May there were 80 deaths out of a total of 3,125 persons in the 264 refugee camp on the racecourse at Johannesburg, equal to a rate of 435 per thousand for a year, and whether instructions will be given to improve the sanitary condition of the camp.
§ MAJOR RASCH (Essex, Chelmsford)I beg to ask if there has been any epidemic in British camps, and whether there is any precedent in history for the housing and feeding of the women and children of an enemy.
§ MR. DILLONThese are not men. These are women and children.
§ *MR. BRODRICKIt is impossible, of course, to avoid epidemics of this character in camps where there are refugees, or, in some cases, where there are British soldiers. I had already telegraphed to Lord Kitchener to report as to the accuracy of the figures quoted in the question, and have not yet received any reply. I have no recent information to hand as to the medical provisions for this camp, but the instructions general to all camps would appear to sufficiently secure proper medical treatment.