§ MR. MANSFIELD (Lincolnshire, Spalding)To ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he receives reports from the Poor Law inspectors as to the number of cases of phthisis in the infirmary wards of the 373 workhouses of England and Wales; and, it so, whether such reports state whether the patients are isolated and receive special treatment; has his attention been drawn to cases in which such patients have been placed in the same ward as other patients; and whether, seeing the danger of infection caused thereby, will he consider the advisability of providing fresh regulations for the isolation and treatment of all cases of phthisis in the workhouses of the country.
(Answered by Mr. Walter Long.) The ordinary reports made by the inspectors would not necessarily specify the number of cases of phthisis in the infirmary wards of the workhouses, but in particular instances the reports refer to the manner in which these cases are dealt with by the guardians. Where it appears that patients suffering from this disease are in wards with other patients I urge the guardians to take steps to secure their isolation. The number of workhouses where special provision is made by the guardians for phthisical patients is steadily increasing, and I do not propose at present to issue regulations on the subject.