§ 91. Mr. JOWETTasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware, that another woolcomber has lost his life through anthrax contracted at the firm of Messrs. Campbell and Harrison, woolcombers, Shipley, a branch of Wool-combers, Limited; whether he has satisfied himself that the firm in question has observed the regulations imposed upon woolcombing establishments where dangerous wool is dealt with; and, if so, whether he will amend the regulations at once and make an effort by so doing to prevent further loss of life?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. McKenna)Yes, Sir, I regret to say that another fatal ease has occurred at these works. The case is an obscure one, and the reports which I have received state that the regulations are being fully observed, and that additional precautions, such as the examination of the fleeces for blood-clots and the installation of exhaust apparatus for removing dust in card-grinding, are being 570 adopted by the firm in order to minimise the danger of anthrax. The Department fully recognises that the matter is a serious one, and is ready to revise the regulations as soon as it is clear what are the precautions which will secure greater safety. The main direction in which further progress is to be looked for is, so far as can be seen at present, some method of disinfection, and earlier in the year I arranged with the Anthrax Investigation Board to press forward experiments on this subject. I hope that before long the Board may have important results to report.