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67
DIARRHŒA.
Deaths 43 (decennial average 106).
No grown person died from simple diarrhoea during
the year, but eleven young children, aged between one
and five, succumbed. The remainder of the deaths,
thirty-two in number, were amongst infants, but as these
have been noticed under the heading of infantile mortality,
they call for no remark here. The death rate on
the whole population is 0.33 against 0.28 for the County
of London.
MEASLES.
Deaths 58 (decennial average 74).
This is not a compulsorily notifiable disease, and our
only sources of information as to its prevalence are the
school authorities and the weekly death returns. Altogether
519 cases of measles were reported from schools,
but sixty-three of the addresses given were found to be
incorrect. In 123 cases no doctor was in attendance.
Disinfection was always offered but was allowed in
thirty-five instances only.
Practically all children are susceptible to measles, and
develop the disease after exposure to infection. The
period of incubation is about a fortnight, and as the
early symptoms are those of a sneezing catarrh or common
cold (during the existence of which the disease, if it be
measles, is most contagious), it is practically impossible
to prevent the spread of infection in schools. Moreover,
it is amongst children of tender age that the heaviest
mortality obtains. Last year the whole number of