§ Mr. FETHERSTONHAUGHasked the Chief Secretary when, and by whom, was Rossclare, county Fermanagh, selected on behalf of the Women's National Health Association as a suitable site for a sanatorium; what medical advice, if any, was taken; was Dr. E. Thompson, of Omagh, consulted, and was he ever at the place except once, some time ago, when Rossclare was an hotel; did Dr. Brendan McCarthy report on it, and has he ever had 1444W any practical experience of sanatorium work, and at whose instance did he report; was Rossclare ever reported on by any of the medical committee of supervision of the Women's National Health Association; and, if so, by whom, and on what date or dates?
§ Mr. BIRRELLAn application for the approval of Rossclare as a sanatorium under Section 161(a) of the National Insurance Act was made by the Women's National Health Association to the Local Government Board. The place had previously been visited by Sir William Thompson, the treasurer of the association, and a favourable report had been obtained from an architect, whose suggestions as to improvements have been carried out. By the direction of the Board one of its medical inspectors, Dr. Brendan McCarthy, visited Rossclare, and, after personal inspection, recommended the approval of the sanatorium temporarily for a specified number of patients. Dr. McCarthy is a medical inspector of great experience and is fully qualified to report on the points referred to him in connection with Rossclare Sanatorium. The application for the Board's sanction was made on the responsibility of the Women's National Health Association, which had satisfied itself that the site was suitable for a sanatorium from a medical point of view. I am not aware that Dr. Thompson of Omagh, was professionally consulted by the association, and, as he had not visited the place for years, see no reason why he should have been consulted.
§ Mr. FETHERSTONHAUGHasked at whose instance was Rossclare, county Fermanagh, approved as a site for a sanatorium by the Local Government Board; was the attention of the Local Government Board called to the fact that it is a very cold, exposed place, destitute of shelter, and situate on a heavy clay soil, and that the place had been a failure as a sanatorium before; were the Board put in communication with several medical men who had been connected with the former sanatorium, and was there any reason for its being now sanctioned as a sanatorium, except that Lady Aberdeen, on one hurried visit to the place on a fine summer day, admired the view and urged its selection as a sanatorium; and is the nearest available doctor resident some eight miles away?
§ Mr. BIRRELLAs stated in answer to the previous question, the Local Govern- 1445W ment Board in sanctioning Rossclare temporarily as a sanatorium proceeded on an application made on behalf of the Women's National Health Association and on a report from the Board's inspector, whose duty it was to investigate the suitability of the site. The Board was aware that the place had not been a financial success when run as a private sanatorium, but had no knowledge of the reasons for this failure I understand that the demands for admittance to the institution are now in excess of the accommodation, and that a number of the patients have greatly improved. The medical officer of the sanatorium resides at Enniskillen, about eight miles away, but he is in telephonic communication with Rossclare and has a motor car.