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In this series of 63 cases, 23 children were found to have
no child contacts, and of the remaining 40 cases the number
of actual contacts was found to be 87 children. These were all
examined, and their medical histories carefully investigated,
and it was demonstrated that 30 of the 87 children had
previously had measles and were therefore protected from
further attack.
Number of child contacts investigated Number of these contacts who had previously had measles Number of
susceptible children
87 30 57
In these 30 cases, therefore, serum was withheld, while being
offered to the 57 other susceptible children. Altogether 38
cases had this prophylactic treatment, and of this number 4
children subsequently developed measles. Of the remaining 19
unprotected children contacts (16 in one class of a junior school)
who did not have the injection, three children subsequently
developed measles.
No. of susceptible contacts of measles cases Number of these given serum No. of susceptibles not given serum Number of susceptibles refusing serum
57 38 19 16
Number of children given serum subsequently developing
measles 4
Number of unprotected children not having serum
developing measles 3
It should be stated that except in one or two instances,
small doses of serum were given (10 ccs.), and the 4 cases noted
after the administration of serum were mild attacks of the
disease. One of the primary objects of the investigation was
to try and control the epidemic, and in this it obviously failed,
possibly owing to the geographical situation of the borough
in the outer London ring of towns. It is to be noted, however,
that only 63 of the 343 notified cases occurred in the first four
months of a nine months epidemic. A second aim to try to induce