§ MR. LUNDONOn behalf of the hon. Member for the St. Patrick Division of Dublin, I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he can state if the medical officers of health who are charged with the duty of judging meat alleged to be affected with tuberculosis have any special qualification for this position, or whether they have passed any examination in public health; and whether he will consider the necessity of issuing by-laws for their guidance with a view of protecting the private property of the traders in native meat and preventing the detrimental effect of unnecessary confiscation upon the producers of home meat.
§ MR. WALTER LONGI am advised that the training which every registered medical practitioner must have received as a student is sufficient to render him competent to detect tuberculosis in a carcase. As every medical officer of health must be a registered medical practitioner, it is not necessary for the purpose mentioned in the Question that he should possess any special qualification. Circulars were issued by my Department in March, 1899, and September, 1901, drawing attention to the principles which should be observed in the inspection of tuberculous carcases, and I do not think I need take any further action in the matter at the present time.
§ MR. KILBRIDE (Kildare, S.)Is it not the fact that many of the inspectors have no qualifications whatever for this work.
§ MR. WALTER LONGwas understood to reply that that observa- 1360 tion would not apply to medical officers of health to whom the Question on the Paper referred, but it was the case that some of the inspectors were in no way qualified.