§ 44. Mr. Piratinasked the Secretary of State for War when the hon. Member for Mile End can expect a reply to his letters of 18th and 26th February with regard to the treatment of Private A Curran, who, when suffering from pneumonia and, after 1717 being discharged from hospital at Horley on 21st February, was given no rations for a journey from Horley to Edinburgh and who had to be treated by a civilian doctor who sent him to the King's College Hospital.
§ Mr. BellengerA reply was sent to the hon. Member on 24th April. As explained in that letter, Private Curran was admitted to the hospital at Holley while on leave. Before his discharge he did not mention to the medical officer in charge of the ward that his unit was stationed in Edinburgh, nor did he ask for rations for the journey, though these were available. The medical officer was under the impression that, like the majority of soldiers admitted to the hospital, he belonged to a local unit. In any case, however, he did not attempt to return to his unit on 21st February, the date of his discharge, but went back to his home in London and consulted a private practitioner. The investigations carried out at King's College Hospital revealed no abnormality.
§ Mr. PiratinIs the Minister aware that the statement he has just made does not tally with the facts which I have received from the soldier himself, and cannot he and I go further into the matter together?
§ Mr. BellengerI can well believe the hon. Gentleman, but what the soldier says is not always evidence.