§ 4. Mr. Tilneyasked the Minister of Health whether he will draw the attention of local authorities who are considering a mass radiography campaign in order to detect pulmonary tuberculosis to the need to combine such a campaign with a check-up for diabetes.
§ Mr. Walker-SmithI do not think this would be desirable as such a combination would be likely to impede the primary purpose of the campaign.
§ Mr. TilneyIs my right hon. and learned Friend aware that for every known diabetic one man or woman has diabetes unknown to himself or herself? Is he aware that, had I not by luck discovered when going to West Africa that I was a diabetic, there would have been a by-election in Liverpool, Wavertree? Is it not better to spend a little money now on early discovery rather than have a very much larger bill later on?
§ Mr. Walker-SmithI am very glad that my hon. Friend discovered his own case in time, not because I would in any way shrink from the verdict of the electors of Wavertree or anywhere else, but because, in common with the rest of the House, I so much value his 13 presence among us. We are seeking to do what we can in the investigation of this important matter. In particular, the College of General Practitioners has an investigation in progress now from which we hope to have good results.