§ 3. Mr. RICHARDSasked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that in recent months the death rate for towns in India has increased abnormally owing to the prevalence of cholera, plague, and small-pox in a large number of Indian towns; whether the Government of India is taking steps to deal with these diseases; and whether the Secretary of State will supply all relevant data relating to deaths and diseases to be found in returns for the last quarter of this year?
§ Mr. BUTLERPrecise figures of the death rate from cholera, small-pox and plague for towns in India in recent months are not available, but I will send the hon. Member a statement showing the numbers of deaths from those diseases in the principal cities and towns in which they were prevalent during the 13 weeks ended 28th March, 1936, and during the corresponding periods in the two previous years. Elsewhere than at Calcutta, where recently there has been an acute epidemic of smallpox, there has not been a very serious increase in the number of deaths from these causes. I am sure that the local governments in India are doing all they can to deal with these diseases.