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20
MEASLES.
Measles was the cause of 34 deaths, as compared with 98, 77 and 93, in the three preceding
years, successively, all of them in the Town sub-district, the corrected decennial average being 81:
twenty-three of the deaths were registered in the last eight weeks of the year. All of the deaths save
one were of children under five years of age; six were of infants in the first year of life. The rate of
mortality was 0·19 per 1,000 of the population.
The deaths from this cause in London, as a whole, were 2,054, and approximately 504 below
the corrected average number (2,559).
Measles Scheduled as a "Dangerous Infectious Disease."—In 1898 the Public
Health Committee of the County Council, having received from the School Board for London a
communication urging the desirability of including measles in the class of "dangerous infectious
diseases" expressed a desire, "before coming to any decision in the matter," to "learn the views of
the London Sanitary Authorities," and to be informed if they " would be in favour of the extension
to measles of the provisions contained in the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, relating to notification,
etc., of infectious disease."
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The replies of the Vestries, etc., having shown a "considerable divergence of opinion," the
matter fell through, but in a further communication, in 1900, the same Committee thought it
desirable to consult the Councils of the Metropolitan Boroughs "with a view to ascertain whether
they were in favour of the extension to measles of the provisions contained in any, or all, of certain
sections of the Act," it being expressly observed that "these sections do not relate to the question
of notification."
It is to be presumed that the general trend of the replies was favourable to the proposal, as
the County Council last year made an Order (which, having been approved by the Local Government
Board, came into force on the 1st April), applying to measles in the Administrative County
the sections of the Act, cited below, with respect to dangerous infectious diseases.
The Order was duly advertised and a copy of it was forwarded to each medical man residing
or practising in London, in accordance with the requirements of section 56.
The following sections thenceforth became applicable to measles in common with other
dangerous infectious diseases—
Section 62, which relates to infectious rubbish cast into ashpits without previous disinfection.
Section 63, which relates to the letting of a house or part of a house in which infected
persons have been residing, without having the house or room, and infected articles therein,
disinfected.
Section 64, which relates to the letting for hire, or showing for that purpose, any house,
or part of a house, and the making of false statements as to the fact of there being, or within
six weeks previously having been, therein, any person suffering from any dangerous infectious
disease.
Section 65, which relates to a person ceasing to occupy a house in which any person has
within six weeks previously been suffering from any dangerous infectious disease, without
disinfection, or notice to the owner, or making a false answer to questioning on the subject.
Section 68, which relates to the exposure of infected persons and things in any street,
public place, shop, or inn.
Section 69, which prohibits an infected person carrying on business.
Section 70, which prohibits conveyance of an infected person in a public conveyance.
Section 72, which prohibits retention of an infected dead body in a room used as a dwelling-place,
sleeping-place, or workroom, in certain cases.
Section 73, which prohibits the body of a person dying of infections disease in hospital,
etc., being removed therefrom excepting to a mortuary, or for burial.
Section 74, which requires disinfection of any public conveyance after being used for
carrying an infected corpse.
For each of the offences dealt with in the foregoing sections a penalty is prescribed.