View report page

74
Measles is highly infectious, particularly in its early
stages, and for this reason, as well as the fact that only a small
proportion of the cases existing come to our knowledge, it may be
doubtful if disinfection plays any important part in checking the
disease. It does, however, impress the public with the necessity
of regarding it as a dangerous infectious disease, and often leads
to a general cleansing of houses which were badly in need of
attention. I think, therefore, that disinfection is valuable, if
only as a means of educating the public.
The Woman Sanitary Inspector reported that in the
majority of the cases she visited parents displayed a sad
ignorance of the dangers of the disease and its infectivity, and in
many instances she was able to persuade parents to obtain
medical aid and advice, which had previously been considered
unnecessary.
WHOOPING COUGH—Information relating to this disease
is obtained from School Teachers; 176 children were notified
as suffering from Whooping Cough, and 72 were excluded on
account of infection in the houses. The disease accounted for
38 deaths during the year, compared with four only in 1903
Thirty of the deaths occurred in the Lewisham Division. The
disease was most fatal to children under one year of age, at which
period 23 deaths occurred, and fourteen between the ages of one
and five.
SCHOOLS AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
Owing to the outbreak of Measles in Sydenham and
Forest Hill a careful watch was kept upon the Schools. The
services of tbe Woman Sanitary Inspector in this respect were
most valuable. Forty-one visits were made to various schools,
and Miss Whitworth's reports sometimes rendered it necessary
for me to make personal visits. In some cases closure of the
school or a department became necessary, and was followed by