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34
Disinfectants in a dilute form should be freely used in every
case of measles in a warm bath at the onset and termination of
the disease, and to sponge the face and other parts during the
illness.
In case of inability to obtain suitable disinfectants the same
will be supplied, free of charge, on application to the Public
Health Department, Town Hall Road, Lavender Hill.
The epidemic of measles was accompanied and followed as
usual by deaths from various respiratory disorders. From
Whooping Cough alone one hundred and forty deaths (one
hundred and thirty-seven at home, and three in hospital) were
registered, a large majority complicated by Measles. Thus from
the two diseases combined three hundred and twenty-five deaths
occurred, comparing most unfavourably with a total of one
hundred and fifty-one deaths from all the notifiable zymotic
diseases, an unanswerable argument in favour of the compulsory
notification of all infectious diseases, they, in the prenotification
period, being said to be equally intractable to supervision and
modification, an idea which the greatly diminished case mortality
demonstrates to be incorrect.
Influenza. The mortality from this disease diminished during
the year under report from ninety-two, in 1895, to
forty-five, in 1896. The enormous number of deaths from diseases
of the respiratory organs was no doubt increased by the prevalence
of Influenza, mild cases being very prevalent. During the
greatest prevalence of Influenza the Health Committee have on
several occasions issued the following
PRECAUTIONS AGAINST INFLUENZA.
The Vestry of the Parish of St. Mary, Battersea, as the
Sanitary Authority and as advised by the Medical Officer of
Health, in consequence of the renewed prevalence of Influenza,