§ Sir E. CORNWALLasked the Secretary of State for War whether he has any information as to the 130 cases of heat-stroke amongst one contingent of wounded sent from Mesopotamia to embark for Bombay; how many cases proved fatal; and whether these cases occurred on an overcrowded light-draught steamer waiting for two days in the hot weather on the bar at the mouth of the Shatt-el-Arab, because of the failure to co-ordinate her departure from Basra with the arrival of the "Dongola?"
§ Mr. FORSTERThe Viceroy of India telegraphed on the 5th August, 1916
One hundred and thirty cases of heat-stroke occurred amongst British sick and wounded being transferred to India on the recent voyage of steamship 'Dongola' from Basra to Bombay. There were seventeen death attributable to heat-stroke among invalids and crew and rive deaths among invalids considered to have been influenced by heat. The voyage was carried out under the most trying climatic conditions, and a following wind was experienced which necessitated the 'Dongola' being turned round every four hours for first day and half of voyage in order that air might get into the wards of the ship.These cases appear to have occurred on the "Dongola" itself, and not on an overcrowded light-draught steamer.