HC Deb 02 August 1904 vol 139 cc518-9
MR. MARKHAM (Nottinghamshire, Mansfield)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of Dr. Boycott's Report on the subject of the diagnosis of ankylostomia infection in mines and its recommendations, and of the fact that following his circular letter of 10th March to the county councils, the medical officer of health to the Derbyshire County Council issued a memorandum to the medical men in the county relating to the disease and the precautions which should be adopted to prevent the spreading of this disease, he will now furnish the Derbyshire County Council with the necessary powers under the Coal Mines Regulation Act to enable the medical officer of health to give practical effect to the recommendations of Dr. Boycott's Report.

(Answered by Mr. Secretary Akers-Douglas.) Dr. Boycott's Report deals simply with the mode of detecting ankylostomia infection by examination of the blood, and contains no recommendations as to precautions to be taken against an outbreak of the disease. It is true that amongst other steps which, as I have previously explained, I have taken in this matter, I have invited the co-operation of the county councils in the mining districts, with a view to their spreading information among miners as to the precautions to be observed, and also to their furnishing facilities at the county laboratories for examination of infected matter; but there are no powers under the Coal Mines Act which can beconferred on the county councils.