§ SIR CHARLES DILKEI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the increase in the more serious forms of lead poisoning, and decrease in the less serious, shown by the Return Lead Poisoning (Parliamentary Paper, No. 126), can be accounted for by any reasons which can be stated to the House in reply to a question.
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. RITCHIE,) CroydonI cannot accept without qualification the hon. Baronet's statement that the more serious cases of lead poisoning have increased. The most serious cases—the fatal ones—have, as appears from the Return, been reduced by one half—from sixteen in 1899 to eight in 1900. In the current year, up to the present only two deaths, have been reported. With regard to other serious cases, there was an increase among males and a decrease among 451 females of cases of paralysis; a decrease among males and an increase among females of cases presenting brain symptoms. These are the accidental fluctuations which will always occur in dealing with small numbers. The truth seems to be that, owing to the greater precautions now adopted, there has been a general decrease of lead poisoning, which in the more serious cases is qualified to some extent by the effects of conditions extending back to former years.