§ Mr. WATT (on behalf of Mr. Weir)asked the Lord Advocate, whether the Secretary for Scotland is aware that on page 153, paragraph 31, of the recently issued Report of the Poor Law Commission, Scotland, it is stated that the want of proper hospital provision and means of isolation treatment has caused infectious disease in the island of Lewis to become endemic; and, seeing that the manner in which tuberculosis is becoming general all over the island is attributed to the inadequacy of medical relief, will he state what action he proposes to take in the matter?
§ Mr. WATT (on behalf of Mr. Weir)also asked the Lord Advocate, whether the attention of the Secretary for Scotland has been called to the evidence of the late Dr. Macdonald, of Stornoway, referred to on page 153 of the Report of the Poor Law Commission, Scotland, in which ho points out that for an area extending 72 miles to the south of the Butt of Lewis, with a population of nearly 13,000 contained in some 40 townships in the parishes of Barvas and Uig, there are only two medical men, whose work is rendered doubly tedious owing to their frequently being obliged to visit the townships on foot from the main roads, many places being accessible by footpath only; that, although typhus and typhoid fever are of frequent occurrence, there is not a single place from end to end of the district in which a case of infectious trouble can be isolated or treated; and, seeing that a similar state of matters prevails in the parish of Lochs, where there is only one medical man to attend to a population of 6,000 scattered over a wide area, will he state whether he will consider the expediency of meeting the difficulty by adopting Dr. Macdonald's suggestion and provide additional medical officers as well as hospital accommodation for the treatment and isolation of infectious diseases?
§ Mr. UREin reply to this and the following question I have to inform my hon. Friend that the Secretary for Scotland is aware of the statements contained in the report of the Poor Law Commission, which will receive the careful consideration of the Local Government Board.