§ 43. Mr. GILBERTasked the Minister of Health the number of cases of sleeping sickness which have been reported to his Department in this country during the last 12 months; how many cases have proved fatal; and will he state what special steps his Department has taken to deal with this epidemic?
§ Sir A. MOND1,572 cases of encephalitis lethargica, to which disease my hon. Friend no doubt refers, have been reported in England and Wales between 1st April, 1920, and 31st March, 1921. The deaths from this disease during the same period, as far as is known at present, amount to 495. The disease was made compulsorily notifiable on 1st January, 1919, and since then special reports have been received from medical officers of health on practically all the cases which have been notified, while special inquiries have been made, and advice has been given by medical officers of the Ministry in suitable cases. Simultaneously, the pathology of the disease is being studied in association with the Medical Research Council.
§ Mr. SEXTONMay I ask if the Minister of Health's Department is itself quite free from this disease?