§ MR. SULLIVAN (Westmeath, S.)To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called to the fact that the Irish Local Government Board now state that the disinfecting chamber erected in 1895 in the Athlone workhouse, under the system known as Dr. Scott's Patent Hot Air Disinfecting Chamber, and approved by the Board, is useless; and whether, seeing that the amount of the loan, £175, was then granted by the Board for this purpose, he will explain why the Board sanctioned the loan.
(Answered by Mr. Walter Long.) The Board have not stated that this disinfecting chamber is useless, but in reply to the guardians' inquiry whether it was sufficient for the purpose of disinfecting the clothing of smallpox patients they stated that such a chamber is not to be depended upon, and that disinfection after smallpox requires special efficiency. The Board understand that disinfection by hot air is rapidly falling into disuse-Experience has shown that such disinfection is not as efficient as disinfection by steam, as the hot air does not penetrate the clothing so thoroughly as steam. When sanctioning a loan in 743 1895 the Board imposed no conditions upon the guardians as to the description of disinfector which they should obtain.