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deaths from measles in Bethnal Green, with a single
exception, were amongst children aged less than five
years.
I have no doubt that the bringing together of children
(so-called " infants ") in school rooms is the sole cause
of the excessive mortality from measles. Very few
children die from it after they have attained six or seven
years of age ; and even if we accept the supposition that
every one must have measles at some period during life,
undoubtedly the later the attack the better the chance
of recovery. I am strongly of opinion that these
"infant" schools are hot-beds of infection and should
be abolished. No children should be admitted to schools
under six years of age.
A recent regulation of the London County Council as
to compulsory school attendance of children from houses
in which measles exists is certainly a retrograde step.
Children who have already suffered from measles are
now required to continue school attendance, although
they come from homes where their little brothers and
sisters are down with the disease, and doubtless they
carry the germs of measles in their clothing and communicate
the complaint to others.
The death rate from measles on the whole population
of Bethnal Green is 0.45 against 0.41 for London.
Hospital Beds for Measles.
The Local Government Board has issued an
order enabling the Metropolitan Asylums Board to
utilize spare accommodation in the Hospitals of the