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Of course, it may be contended that 545 cases represented
but a small proportion of the actual cases occurring-.
To a certain extent that may be true, but it would only apply
to some of the cases under school age, and only those where
there was no other child in the house attending school.
Moreover, if there were many, it is very unlikely to be so
limited in its spread. If there is a case of Measles in a
school it is likely to spread, especially amongst the infants,
so that I should soon get to know of its prevalence. There
are four attendance officers, the chief of whom reports to
me, personally, every morning, of any case of infectious
disease coming under their notice.
The chief reason of the comparative freedom from
Measles during the past year is, I believe, due to the excessive
prevalence during the year before last, thus rendering
a large proportion of the infant population immune to the
infection. Also, every three or four years Measles tends to
assume an epidemic form.
CHICKEN POX.
Of the minor infectious diseases reported from the
schools, I received information of 263 cases of Chicken Pox.
Last year 423 cases were reported.