§ MR. HAYDEN (Roscommon, S.)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether there is power vested in the port authorities at Southampton and elsewhere, or in the public health authorities, to quarantine vessels upon which are persons suffering from, or suspected to be suffering from, infectious disease; if so, whether he can state why such power was not exercised in regard to the steamship "Nile," which brought cases of smallpox into Southampton, and through its passengers and crew spread the disease in various parts of England and Ireland; if there be no such power in either authority, whether he will take steps to have it vested in those charged with the preservation of public health; and whether he can state the number of persons landed from the "Nile" who have developed this disease, and also the number of those who came in contact with passengers or crew who have taken the disease, and whether any deaths have resulted.
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURThe local authorities referred to are not empowered to quarantine vessels coming into their districts with smallpox cases on board, but if there is a person on board suffering from any dangerous infectious disorder he. may be removed to hospital under a justice's order. I could not hold out any expectation that the former system o: putting vessels into quarantine would be revived in this country. I understand that sixteen persons in England and Wales who were landed from the "Nile" have since developed smallpox, and that seven persons who came into contact with the passengers or crew have also developed the disease. Four cases of deaths from smallpox at Southampton have been reported to the Local Government Board as occurring since the arrival of the ship. The Board have not received any reports as to deaths from the disease at other places to which any of the crew or passengers proceeded on landing.
§ MR. SCOTT-MONTAGU (Hampshire, New Forest)Was there any failure of duty on the part of the local authorities?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURNo, Sir, as far as I am aware the local authorities at Southampton seem to have done their duty.