§ Mr. NIELDasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that Sapper T. N. Beasley, No. 320,617, Inland Water Transport, Royal Engineers, was discharged from the Army Ordnance Corps after nineteen days' service, and from the 3/10th Battalion of the Middlesex Regiment after fifty-five days' service, in each case as medically unfit; whether he is aware that subsequently he was an inmate of the Isleworth Infirmary suffering from tuberculosis and also was attended by the county tuberculosis officer at Acton; that, being sent on or about the 3rd August, 1917, from Woolwich to Sandwich as attached to the Inland Water Transport, Royal Engineers, he was taken ill and absented himself in consequence, was put under arrest awaiting court-martial and kept twenty-one days in the guard room with other men, eating and drinking from the same vessels, while rapidly becoming worse by reason of his confinement; whether he is aware that one of the men confined with Beasley in the guard room was suffering from syphilis; what justification there is for these diseased men being confined together and with others, having regard to the danger of the spread of the diseases; will he take steps to ascertain who is respon 1028W sible for this and to ensure against repetition; and why Beasley was sentenced to twenty-eight days' imprisonment for the alleged offence and sent to Chelmsford to serve his sentence, notwithstanding his tuberculous condition and in spite of the fact that he had been twice discharged from Army service as medically unfit?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONThis case has been for some time under investigation on a written representation from my hon. and learned Friend, and a reply was about to be sent to him. A medical board was held on Sapper Beasley at the end of October and reported that there were no physical signs of tubercle of the lungs. This confirmed a previous report at the end of September from Fort Pitt Military Hospital, where his sputum was submitted for examination. The board also had before them the man referred to, with whom Sapper Beasley was confined, and could find no trace of syphilis. He had been under treatment for this complaint at the beginning of the year, and had been discharged cured.