London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Willesden 1907
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Willesden]
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90
1. Age incidence is a very important factor. Taking the age
distribution of all the cases in Willesden coming to knowledge
during the year, the following results are obtained:—
Table No. 43.
Showing Measles Fatality at different Age Periods.
| Age. | Cases. | Deaths. | Fatality Rate. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-1 | 84 | 6 | 7.1 |
| 1-5 | 670 | 34 | 5.0 |
| 5-15 | 687 | 5 | 0.7 |
| 0-15 | 1,441 | 45 | 3 1 |
The higher fatality at the lower age periods is well known, and
in fact it may generally be stated that the lower the age of attack
the more likely is a fatal issue to occur.
Among the children dying from measles at the Infirmary the
age distribution was as follows:—
0—1 1 case.
1—2 5 cases.
2—3 3 „
3—4 2 „
It cannot therefore be stated that the excessive fatality is wholly
accounted for by the low age period of those attacked.
2. The increased virulence of institution outbreaks is probably in
some measure due to exaltation of virus due to rapid transference
from person to person.
This is a hypothetical explanation in harmony with certain
laboratory experiments with organisms whose virulence has been
purposely raised by inoculation from animal to animal.