Sir MAURICELEVY asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether an epidemic of smallpox has recently occurred in Bombay; whether records are kept as to the vaccinal condition of the cases in hospitals; and, if so, whether the Government have any information as to the causes of the severity of the outbreak?
§ Mr. MONTAGUSmallpox in an epidemic form was prevalent in Bombay City from the middle of February last to the middle of May. The Secretary of State understands that the practice in Indian hospitals is to keep a record of the vaccinal condition of every patient suffering from smallpox, but he has no information as to the data thus obtained in the recent epidemic in Bombay or as to the light thereby thrown on the causes of the outbreak. According to statements in the Bombay newspapers, the severity of the epidemic was largely due to cases imported by pilgrim ships returning from Jeddah and other ports in the Red Sea.