§ MR. SCHWANN (Manchester, N.)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been drawn to the recent reports of the district inspector and surveyor to the rural district council of Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, as to the insanitary condition of the village of Sandy, and to the prevalence of erysipelas, diphtheria, scarlet fever, and similar diseases in that village, as well as, in a less degree, at Henlow and Arlesey; is he aware that generally the district is 1411 dangerous to health, in spite of recommendations made by the inspector of the Local Government Board in 1896 and 1899, in consequence of continued epidemics of diphtheria and typhoid; and whether he will take action, as the improved water supply now being carried out will only partially remedy the evils complained of.
THE SECRETARY TO THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. GRANT LAWSON,) Yorkshire, N. R., ThirskMy right hon. friend has made inquiry, but is informed that there has been no recent special report as to the insanitary condition of the parish of Sandy. He has, however, been furnished with a statement showing the number of cases of infectious disease notified this year in the three parishes of Sandy, Henlow, and Arlesey. Although, according to this statement, the only cases notified during the present month have been three cases of erysipelas at Sandy, there appears to have been some prevalence of this disease and of diphtheria earlier in the year at the places mentioned. The report of the medical officer of health for 1903 states that the death rate in the rural district was as low as 12.2 per thousand. My right hon. friend understands that both at Sandy and Arlesey there are local sanitary committees, and that in some respects sanitary administration has been improved. He is asking for a special report from the medical officer of health as to the occurrence of erysipelas and diphtheria in the district during the present year.