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34
MEASLES.
Measles was the cause of 93 deaths, compared with 24, 98 and 77, in the three preceding
years, the corrected decennial average being 82. All but four of the deaths occurred under five
years of age, and 20 under one year. Eighty five of the deaths belong to the Town sub-district,
and eight to Brompton.
The deaths from this cause in London, as a whole, were 2,360, and 366 below the corrected
decennial average (2,726).
In the report for 1900, reference was made to a communication from the Public Health
Committee of the County Council intended to elicit the opinion of the Council whether it was
advisable that the County Council should include measles in the term " dangerous infectious
disease," for the purposes set out in certain sections of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891 ?
The sections specified relate (inter alia) to the exposure of infected persons and articles (68); the
conveyance of infected persons in public conveyances (70); the casting of infected rubbish into ashpits
(62); the disinfection of infected premises, articles and public conveyances (60, 61, 65 and 74);
the letting of infected houses (63 and 74); and the removal to hospital of infected persons without
proper lodging (66). In the last four-weekly report for 1900 I dealt with this matter, and in the
early part of 1901 the Council, on the recommendation of the Public Health Committee, intimated
to the County Council that they were in favour of the sections of the Act which prohibit the
exposure in public places of persons suffering from an infectious disease, and the use of public
vehicles for the conveyance of infected persons, being made applicable to measles. No further
action had been taken in the matter to the end of 1902.
SCARLET FEVER.
The cases notified as scarlet fever were 372, compared with 443, 367, and 475, in the three
preceding years successively; 237 in North Kensington and 135 in South Kensington. The deaths
were 21 (6 below the corrected decennial average); 19 and 2 in the Town and Brompton sub-districts
respectively. The case-mortality was 5.6 per cent. Seventeen of the deaths were of children under
five years of age, and 19 took place in hospitals to which 311 cases were removed. The deaths in
the three preceding years were 10, 4, and 15, respectively.
The information as to scarlet fever mortality in the Borough—1856-1902—set out in
Appendix II. (Tables B, C, D, pp. 153-154) shows the large reduction which has taken place in
recent years.
The deaths from scarlet fever in London, as a whole, were 563, compared with 398, 361, and
584, in the three preceding years, the corrected decennial average being 865. Of the 563 deaths
517, or 91.8 per cent., occurred in public institutions. The notified cases were 18,258, compared
with 18,094, 13,809, and 18,390, in the three preceding years. The mortality was 3.1 per cent. on
cases notified against 2.2, 2.6, and 3.2, in the three preceding years. The admissions to hospitals
were 14,883 (against 13,641,10,734, and 14,159, in the three preceding years), or about 81.5 per cent.
of cases notified. At the close of the year there were 2,327 cases under treatment in the hospitals,
compared with 2,797, 2,460, and 3,080, at the corresponding period in the three preceding years.
The case-mortality in hospitals was 3.5 per cent.
The subjoined table shows the degree of prevalence of scarlet fever in the Borough, and in
London, as a whole, as indicated by the number of notifications, and of deaths registered, in thirteen
successive four-weekly periods, as set out in my reports:—

The notifications are taken from the weekly returns of the Asylums Board ; the admissions to, and the numbers in, the
hospitals, and the deaths in London, from the weekly returns of the Registrar-General.
* Including cases of mistaken diagnosis.