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two instances were more than one member of the same household
attacked. In one case both cases were simultaneously
infected.
The other schools affected, and in connection with which, in
consequence, it was found necessary to take similar action, were
Battersea Park Road, Surrey Lane, Mantua Street, Plough Road,
Tennyson Street. The first-mentioned school is situate in an
area in which a very large number of cases occurred—i.e., No. 2
Sanitary District. The disease began to rise in this area in June,
and continued to rise steadily through July. The closure of two
class rooms, as well as the exclusion of all suspicious cases, was
followed by satisfactory results.
A similar result followed the closure of class rooms in the
other schools mentioned.
The "mild, unrecognised case" was no doubt largely responsible
for spread of infection in the schools as in the homes.
It was of frequent occurrence to find that a child, through some
slight indisposition, was kept at home for a day or two, and then
allowed to return. The subsequent discovery that the child was
"peeling" disclosed the nature of the illness, while immediate
exclusion followed—an excellent example of the old proverb,
locking the stable door when the steed is stolen.
There are, in round numbers, 800,000 children attending the
public Elementary Schools within the Administrative County of
London. During the past three years an average of considerably
over 20,000 children have been annually notified. There can be
no doubt that a large majority of these cases might have been
prevented by a systematic and routine medical examination of the
school children.
It is to be hoped that the Education Authority will at once
make use of the new powers conferred upon them under the provision
of the Education (Administrative Provisions) Act of 1897
in carrying out systematic medical inspection of all children
attending Public Elementary Schools. Such action would, in my
opinion, be followed by gratifying results in checking the spread