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houses) from schools, the closing of classes or whole schools on
account of outbreaks of Measles, the distributing of leaflets and
posters, and the educating of parents to regard Measles as a
serious or dangerous infectious disease, and not as a trivial complaint
of childhood.
Measles is not compulsorily notifiable, but, through L.C.C.
Schools, 2,771 cases (during 1905) were reported to the Borough
Council. Measles being chiefly a "School" Disease, this
voluntary system of notification is most desirable, and will, it is
hoped, be, in the future, extended (vide Appendix, pp. 100-101).
Of the 96 deaths from Measles in Lambeth Borough during
1905, 90 (i.e., 93.8 per cent.) occurred amongst children under
5 years of age, shewing that Measles is a disease of young
children, and especially fatal to such. 19 of the deaths (i.e.,
19.8 per cent.) occurred amongst infants under 1 year of age.
During 1905 in the Borough of Lambeth disinfection has been
carried out in connection with 1,970 Measles-infected houses as
compared with 1,294, 1,340, 304, 728, and 941 during 1904,
1903, 1902, 1901 and 1900 respectively.
Measles is spread chiefly through Schools, especially Infants'
Departments, and during 1903 special precautions have been
taken in respect thereto, as follows :—
St. Luke's Schools, Elder Road (Infants' Department).—The
Infants' Department was closed for 21 days on March 7th, 1905,
on account of an outbreak of Measles amongst the scholarsrising
epidemic)—21 per cent. of the infants being absent,
suffering from the disease. Usual disinfection was carried out.
Result of closure was a decline in the number of cases.
Gipsy Road School, (In/ants' Department).—The Infants' Department
was closed for 14 days on October 11th, 1905, on
account of an outbreak of Measles (rising epidemic), 24 per