§ Mr. SUMMERBELLasked the President of the Board of Trade if he is yet in a position to report as to the steamship "Trowbridge," which left Port Said on 19th September for Barrow with seven sick men on board, the medical officer of Bombay permitting her to do so after examination?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLThe "Trowbridge" was allowed to leave Bombay after the health officer at the Port had certified that she was in a satisfactory sanitary condition and that no case of infectious disease existed amongst her crew. The master and a fireman had previously gone into hospital, but it does not appear that any of the men who fell sick on the voyage to Aden had reported themselves ill or unfit for duty before leaving Bombay. The health officer has, however, been asked to report on the case. I cannot say whether the illness on board the "Trowbridge" was caused by the water taken in at Karachi. The tanks were filled up at that port with water supplied by Dinshaw, and they were again filled up by the Bombay Port Trust. It is not stated in the report of the Medical Officer at Aden that the illness was caused by the water or that the water was tested. The tanks were favourably reported upon. The vessel had been trading on the coasts of South America, East and West Africa, and other malarious regions, and it may be that many of the crew were weakened by previous attacks, or had the germs of the disease within them. Six of the crew had previously been sent into hospital at Calcutta. The Board of Trade are, however, in communication with the Shipping Master at Karachi as to the arrangements for procuring water at that port.
§ Mr. SUMMERBELLWill the right hon. Gentleman supply the information in regard to further inquiries if he gets it?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLPerhaps the hon. Member will put down another question at some future date.