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"The amount realised by the sale was £1,495. Medical Officers have,
"under the regulations, power to destroy any articles of public property
"on sanitary grounds, and are expressly ordered to disinfect all soiled
"bedding which has been in contact with the sick. I am not prepared
"to issue so wide an order as that suggested—that all textile fabrics
"which have been used in the field should be disinfected before being
"sold. As previously stated, the ordnance and medical regulations
"contain clear instructions as to the disposal of condemned and infected
"articles; and I also issued special orders forbidding the sale in South
"Africa of any textile article which might cause infection. There
"appears to have been an error of judgment on the part of the respon"sible
officer, who has otherwise done excellent service. The military
"authorities are investigating the matter."
Again, on the 19th June, 1903, Mr. Brodrick said, in reply to a further
question on the subject by the same Member:—
"There are at Woolwich 20,000 blankets which have been handed
"over from transports coming home. These were washed before being
"handed over by the Admiralty, but, as an additional precaution, they
"are being disinfected. It is not known whether any of these blankets
"were used in the field, nor can any date of despatch from South Africa
"be specified, as they were only taken over by the War Department in
"bulk."
As a result of the action taken in the City it was found that about 20,000
of these blankets had been sold to 338 customers, distributed over 207 towns
in the United Kingdom and 19 Metropolitan Boroughs.
This involved a correspondence with 224 Medical Officers of Health, from
which 212 replies were received, stating what action they had taken in the
matter. In 12 instances only was.no reply received. In the greater number
of cases the blankets were traced and disinfected or destroyed by the Medical
Officers of Health throughout the country.
Sixty-nine firms in London and the Provinces returned 3,192 blankets to
the City dealers who had supplied them with the goods. These were cleansed
and returned to the owners disinfected, the expense incurred in washing them
being subsequently repaid to the Corporation by the War Office.
The generally dangerous character of these blankets was shown by the
results of bacteriological examinations furnished to me by the undermentioned
Medical Officers of Health—
Dr. Herbert Williams, Medical Officer of Health, Port of London.
18th May, 1903.
"Of these blankets fully 75 per cent. showed some kind of patches of dirt and
"large and small discoloured stains.