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34
this class, but where the medical certificate shewed
another cause of death in addition to diarrhoea I have
preferred to classify under that head, instead of the
indefinite "diarrhœa" which may be only a symptom
of some other disease.
MEASLES.
Deaths 89. (Decennial average 103).
The 89 deaths from measles, though exceeding the
number registered in 1903, were fourteen below the
decennial average. All except two of the deaths were
amongst young children aged less than five years. The
child mortality from measles and its sequelae is in the
proportion of 4.9 on the estimated population of young
children.
During the year 728 cases of measles have been
reported to us by the school authorities. Each house
so reported is visited by an Inspector, instructions are
given, insanitary conditions are noted and remedied,
information as to schools attended by other children
inhabiting the house is obtained, and the head teachers
of these are subsequently notified. Disinfection is
invariably proffered but was accepted in 39 instances
only. Of the school reports, 98 were found to be incorrect;
in 330 of the cases acknowledged to be measles
no doctor was in attendance, and such information as
was obtainable had to be accepted.
Many parents look upon measles as something which
no child can escape, so the sooner he gets it over the
better for all parties. The disease is treated almost
with contempt and in a large number of instances
(50 per cent. of the reported cases) medical assistance