HC Deb 13 April 1905 vol 145 cc69-70
MR. HAYDEN (Roscommon, S.)

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Local Government Board is he aware that the port sanitary authorities at Southampton had their attention called on or about March 18th last, on the arrival of the as. "Nile" at that port, to a case of smallpox on board that vessel; that the patient died on that date; that the port sanitary Authorities allowed two men named P. Dalton and P. Smith to go to their destination in the rural district of Mullingar, county Westmeath, after being in contact with this care of smallpox; and that the district authorities were unable to trace these men until the 31st ultimo, when it was discovered that one of them (Smith) was suffering from smallpox in the town of Mullingar; whether, in view of the expense the rural council of Mullingar have been put to in this matter and the danger to the public health, he can state why these men were not quarantined for fourteen or sixteen days before being allowed to proceed to their destination; and whether he proposes to censure the port sanitary authorities at Southampton for their action in this matter.

MR. GERALD BALFOUR

The medical officer of health at Southampton reports that the "Nile" arrived there on March 18th with a case of smallpox on board and that the patient died as the vessel was entering the port. I have no information as to the two men referred to in the Question, but the medical officer states that notification was given to the medical officer of health of every district to which any of the passengers or ore were proceeding. I am, however, sending a copy of the Question to the town council and am asking for a detailed report of the facts as to smallpox in relation to this vessel together with an account of the measures adopted for preventing the spread of the disease on board and elsewhere. I may add that there would be no power to detain any of the passengers or view who were not actually suffering from the disease.

MR. HAYDEN

Is there no power in England to detain persons who have been in contact with cases of smallpox? My information is that the Irish authorities have done it.

MR. GERALD BALFOUR

There is no such power in England at all events.