§ 2. Mr. MacVEAGHasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether the War Office is willing to appoint immediately a Committee composed of men of high attainments, but not connected with the medical profession, in order to inquire into the question of utilising for the alleviation of the sufferings of wounded soldiers the services of experts in manipulative surgery who do not hold medical degrees?
§ Mr. J. MASONWill the hon Gentleman consider the desirability of making use of all science and knowledge, even including that which is mentioned in this question?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONI have already answered several questions on this subject.
§ Mr. MacVEAGHWhat is the objection of the War Office to the appointment of an independent Committee?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONIt is a very doubtful proposition to suggest that non-technical men should be put to deal with a technical subject.
§ Sir J. D. REESIs it not the fact that it is not the individual medical men who object but the collective Council?
§ Mr. SWIFT MacNEILLIs the hon. Gentleman prepared, or, rather, are the Government prepared, to allow men to suffer in the interests of professional trade unionism?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONI must protest against that statement.
§ Mr. MacVEAGHIt is quite true.
§ Mr. MACPHERSONNothing has been more admirable during the whole course of the War than the skill and judgment and effectiveness of the medical profession.
§ Mr. MacVEAGHThat has nothing to do with the case.
§ Sir W. COLLINSWhile not excluding investigation of any line of particular treatment, from whatever source it may be suggested, may I ask that the hon. Gentleman will have regard to the risks as well as the advantages of unqualified practice?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONCertainly.
§ Mr. MacVEAGHMay I ask the hon. Gentleman if he is aware that five members of his own Government have undergone this treatment, and does he not admit that the life of even one private soldier is more valuable than the whole of the two Front Benches?
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEIs the hon. Gentleman aware that there are many officers fighting at the front who would not be there but for this treatment?
§ Mr. MacVEAGHAnswer!
§ Mr. SPEAKERWe have already had a number of supplementary questions on this subject.
§ 16 and 17. Mr. MacVEAGHasked the Under-Secretary of State for War (1) whether a soldier in the West Kent Regiment, W. H. Townley, after being unsuccessfully treated at home and abroad, was discharged from the Army as incurable; and whether he will call for a Report on this man's subsequent medical history; and (2) whether five of the thirty officers of the 7th Oxfords were unfit for military service until they had undergone manipulative treatment; whether they 1136 had previously been treated unsuccessfully by medical practitioners; and whether they are now on active service in France?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONI have no knowledge of the cases brought to notice by my hon. Friend in these questions, and I should be glad if he will give me further particulars.
§ Mr. MacVEAGHDoes the hon. Gentleman mean to tell me that the Army Medical Department has not seen the letters published in nearly every daily newspaper in the United Kingdom from Lord Kitchener's sister saying that after Townley was examined by ten Army doctors and he was discharged from the Army as incurable, he was cured in five minutes by manipulative treatment? Does the hon. Gentleman say that his Department has not seen the letter?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONI have not seen it.
§ Mr. MacVEAGHI wonder if they know anything about anything!
§ 18. Mr. MacVEAGHasked whether the medical profession in France is availing itself of the services of experts in manipulative surgery for the treatment of wounded soldiers; and on what grounds the War Office in this country refuses to allow a similar dilution of labour?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONI have no information on the first part of the question. In regard to the second part of the question, apart from other objections under the terms of the Medical Act, 1858, it is not possible to employ as surgeons in the Military Service any person not registered under that Act.
§ Mr. MacVEAGHIs the hon. Gentleman aware that the report of the British Medical Committee stated that manipulative surgery was being used in France?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONI understand that my hon. Friend is taking an opportunity of debating the subject. It would be much more satisfactory if he did so. I may tell him now that not only have we the finest doctors and surgeons, but we also have the finest possible hospitals where the men are treated.
§ Mr. MacVEAGHBut the men have not been treated. They admit that. The thing is a public scandal, and you know it!
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member has no right to debate the question now.
§ 19. Mr. MacVEAGHasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he is 1137 aware that five generals in the Army and two admirals and hundreds of officers of lower rank in both services have been treated by manipulative surgery; and whether he will explain why privates are denied the same expert assistance when it is offered free of charge to them or to the nation?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONI have no information as to the first part of the question. In regard to the second part, the same expert assistance is given to privates as to officers, and I am sorry that my hon. Friend should suggest unfairness of treatment as between these two.
§ Mr. LYNCHIs it not a fact that this question is a little more technical than appears on the surface of the questions of my hon. Friend (Mr. MacVeagh), and that it can only be thoroughly understood after a debate which entered into all the pros and cons?
§ Mr. SWIFT MacNEILLWhy are not the five generals and two admirals mentioned in this question tried by court-martial for the offence of getting well?
§ Mr. MacVEAGHThe hon. Gentleman states that he has no information with reference to these five generals and two admirals. Did I not myself give him the names of the five generals and two admirals?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONYes.
§ Mr. MacVEAGHThen you have the information?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONIt was merely a piece of paper with five or six names upon it which the hon. Member gave me. He told me that they were cured by Mr. Barker. That was all the information I had.
§ Mr. MacVEAGHI did not say that they were cured by Mr. Barker. I said they were cured by manipulative surgery.