§ 70. Mr. BLACKasked the Minister of Health the number of small-pox hospitals there are in Great Britain; how many of these hospitals were unused by patients suffering from the disease in each year from 1914 to 1923; and whether he will consider the desirability and economy of using these hospitals when unoccupied for the treatment of tuberculosis, subject to an arrangement with the county councils for the evacuation of the tuberculous patients at 48 hours' notice in the event of the outbreak of a small-pox epidemic and the premises being required for small-pox patients?
§ Mr. WHEATLEYThere are approximately 340 small-pox hospitals in England and Wales. I have no precise information as to the number of these hospitals which were not used for smallpox cases in each of the past 10 years, but about 80 were so used last year. Whilst I should be prepared to consider proposals for the use of small-pox hospi- 2124 tals for the treatment of tuberculosis, I must point out that many of these hospitals are not suitable for the reception of tuberculous patients, and that for the protection of the public health it would not be sufficient merely to require evacuation of the tuberculous patients at 48 hours' notice, unless some alternative accommodation were available for the isolation of the first cases of small-pox.
§ Mr. BLACKMight I ask whether the Department will consider this matter, and whether, in suitable cases, many of these hospitals having been vacant for 10 or 15 years, something could not be done in the interests of economy?
§ Mr. WHEATLEYThe Department is considering it, and I think a solution may be found in another direction. We may decide to enlarge the areas and so use a smaller number of hospitals, in view of the better transport system now as compared with what it was in days gone past.