§ Mr. PIKEasked the First Lord of the Admiralty the latest statistics of tuberculosis among members, all ranks, of His Majesty's Navy, the numbers of cases in which the disease was decided to have been latent upon enlistment, and the numbers that have contracted the disease while serving; and what steps are being taken to counteract a spread of the disease before and after contraction?
Sir B. EYRES MONSELLThe latest available statistics are for the year 1933. In that year there were 176 cases of tuberculosis in the Royal Navy. With present medical knowledge, it is not possible to differentiate between cases latent upon enlistment, and those contracted while serving. Methods employed to prevent the occurrence of the disease include constant medical inspection of naval personnel, physical training, instruction in personal hygiene, supervision of living accommodation, diet and ventilation, and regulation of the temperature of His Majesty's ships. In order to prevent the spread of the disease after contraction, all cases of tuberculosis are taken to hospital and the usual processes of disinfection are carried out in the ship or establishment concerned.