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84
London County Council by the Lambeth Borough Council on
January 24th, 1901, and by the late Vestry on March 1st, 1900.
Measles is not thereby made a compulsorily notifiable disease.
With the extra power, much good should accrue.
Of the 84 deaths from Measles in Lambeth Borough during
1902, 71 (i.e., 84.5 per cent.) occurred amongst children under
5 years of age, showing that it is essentially a disease of young
children and especially fatal to such. The stricter the precautions
taken against the spread of Measles, the better; but also the
more care taken during treatment (in the way of keeping the
patients warm), the less fatal the disease is.
During 1902, in the Borough of Lambeth, disinfection has
been carried out in connection with 364 Measles-infected houses,
as compared with 728 during 1901.
Measles is spread through Schools, especially Infants' Departments,
and during 1902 special precautions have been taken
in respect thereto, as follows: —
Wcsleyan School, Brixton Hill.—Attention was, on May 16th,
1902, drawn to an outbreak of Measles in connection with the
Wesleyan School, Brixton Hill, and on enquiry it was found that
the absentees (chiefly from Measles), and average attendances
per week, were as follow: —
Average
Week ending. Absentees. Attendance.
May 2nd 29 321
„ 9th 64 286
„ 16th 81 274
„ 23rd 59 282
„ 30th 45 294
June 7th 6 328
(Average attendance 1901 = 327)
The epidemic was, therefore, a declining one, and the School
was not, in consequence, closed, nor were any further steps
deemed necessarv, under the circumstances.