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II9
I902
Non.NotIfIable InfectIous DIseases.—Although there are stIll many
teachers In the Board Schools who neglect the oblIgatIon Imposed on them by
RegulatIon I48, sec. III., of the London School Board Code, yet It Is very
satIsfactory to be able to report that latterly there has been a greater wIllIngness
to notIfy cases of InfectIous dIseases, Measles, ChIcken Pox, WhoopIng
Cough and Mumps, whIch are not oompulsorIly notIfIable under the PublIc
Health (London) Act, I89I.
Number of cases notIfIed.—DurIng the year as many as 2,307 cases
were notIfIed by teachers, of whIch I,2I4 were Measles, 482 ChIcken Pox,
a dIsease whIch was for the greater part of the year compulsorIly notIfIable by
MedIcal PractItIoners, 326 WhoopIng Cough, and 295 were Mumps and other
aIlments. These notIfIcatIons were, as far as possIble, followed up by vIsIts to
the Infected homes by the SanItary Staff, but occasIonally It has happened
that the teachers have refraIned from notIfyIng untIl a largo number of cases
had occurred, when, apparently becomIng alarmed, they reported them In one
batch. In such Instances It was several tImes dIscovered that the earlIer cases
mentIoned In theIr lIst had already recovered, although they had not returned
to school, and, therefore, In these cIrcumstances the good results whIch mIght
be expected to accrue from the notIfIcatIons were wantIng, for any Ill effects
that mIght have been prevented by warnIngs to the households had already
occurred. The receIpt of these long lIsts, too, meant serIous dIsorganIsatIon
of the work of the Inspectors, who, If the notIfIcatIons had been receIved as
the cases became known at the schools, could have vIsIted them at once,
but who at tImes found It a task of the greatest dIffIculty to perform theIr
ordInary routIne work, whIch entaIls so many appoIntments wIth plumbers
buIlders and archItects, and also to call at the Infected homes. It Is to be
hoped that, In future, greater promptItude In sendIng In the notIfIcatIons
wIll be exhIbIted by all the teachers. It ought to be, for the welfare and
success of the schools and theIr scholars are closely IdentIfIed wIth theIr
state of health.
Measles.—I,2I4 notIfIcatIons were receIved, of whIch I45 came from
Poole's Park Board School, 82 from Montem Street Board School, 74 from
Upper Hornsey Road Board School, 69 from Hanover Street Board School,
59 from GIllespIe Road Board School, and the same number from WhIttIngton
School, whIle there were 57 from Blundell Street and Yerbury Road Board
Schools, 5I from GIfford Street Board School, and also from RIchard Street
Board School. These were the schools most affected, although cases were
notIfIed from nearly all the schools.