HC Deb 29 May 1905 vol 147 cc67-8
MR. CHANNING (Northamptonshire, E.)

To ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he will publish, as a Parliamentary Paper or in the Press, the report of Dr. Farrar, the Local Government Board inspector, into the cases of cerebro-spinal meningitis at Irthlingborough, Northants; and whether he will state what steps, if any, are being taken to prevent, so far as possible, the introduction of the disease into this country and to isolate and stamp out outbreaks of this disease.

(Answered by Mr. Gerald Balfour.) Dr. Farrar's report on this subject will, I hope, shortly be completed. I propose that it should then be printed and published. Communications have been made to the medical officers of health of the ports at which immigrants from the Continent are usually landed with a view to these officers being on the watch for the possible importation of cases of cerebro-spinal meningitis from abroad. As I stated on Thursday last, in reply to a Question by the hon. Member for the Radcliffe Division, the Local Government Board are prepared to entertain proposals from the local authorities to make compulsory for a limited time the notification to them of cases of this disease where they deem it desirable.