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account of outbreaks of Measles, the distributing of leaflets and
posters, and the educating of parents to regard Measles as a
serious or dangerous infectious disease, and not as a trivial
complaint of childhood.
During 1903 (from April 1st), Measles has been included, by
Order of the London County Council (dated January 20th, 1903),
such Order having been approved by the Local Government
Board, in the term "Dangerous Infectious Diseases" for the
purposes set out in Sections 60-65, 68-70, 72-74 of the Public
Health (London) Act, 1891, and this fact would appear to have
prevented the usual spread of the disease (and its excessive
mortality), more especially taking into consideration that the past
year has been an epidemic year as far as Measles is concerned.
Measles is not compulsorily notifiable, but, through Board
Schools, a very large number of cases (1,623 during 1903)
are reported to the Borough Council. Measles being chiefly
a "School" Disease, this voluntary system of notification is most
desirable, and will, it is hoped, be, in the future, extended. (Vide
Appendix, p. 80.)
Of the 130 deaths from Measles in Lambeth Borough during
1903, 129 (i.e. 99.2 per cent.) occurred amongst children under
5 years of age, shewing that it is a disease of young children,
and especially fatal to such. 25 of the deaths (i.e. 19.2 per cent.)
occurred amongst infants under 1 year of age.
During 1903, in the Borough of Lambeth, disinfection has been
carried out in connection with 1,346 Measles infected houses as
compared with 364, 728, and 941 during 1902, 1901 and 1900
respectively.
Measles is spread chiefly through Schools, especially Infants'
Departments, and during 1903 special precautions have been
taken in respect thereto, as follows:—
Church Street (Clapham Road) School. Infants Department.—
An outbreak of Measles amongst the infants attending class A, by
which the attendance was reduced at the end of February from
51 to 33 (i.e. 35.3 per cent.), led to this class being closed for 14
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