HC Deb 01 May 1951 vol 487 cc139-40W
Sir R. Glyn

asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been drawn to the statement by the Chairman of the Thames Conservancy that no instance has ever been reported, so far as the Thames is concerned, by any medical authority to the effect that the spread of poliomyelitis has been due to bathing in that river; and if he will consider the advisability of recommending the Medical Research Council, in conjunction with number of initial entrants, the number sitting for the examination, the number interviewed, the number passing and the number of vacancies on each occasion that the entrance examination to Dartmouth has been held since the introduction of the new scheme.

Mr. Callaghan

Details of the new Dartmouth Entry Scheme since its introduction in 1948 are as follow:

the Catchment and River Board Association, to go into the whole question of bacteriological pollution of rivers and lakes in the United Kingdom and the supposed effect bathing has in promoting this disease.

Mr. Marquand

My medical advisers are in agreement with the statement mentioned. The Medical Research Council are already engaged in an extensive investigation of poliomyelitis, in which I am assured that no field of inquiry as to possible causes will escape attention.