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Detailed information concerning small-pox, scarlet fever, diphtheria,
and fever will be found under the heading of Notifiable Infectious
Diseases, on pages 43-48, but particulars concerning measles, whooping
cough, and diarrhæa, to which notification does not apply, are given
below:—
Measles.
Fourteen deaths were recorded from this disease, this being equal
to the number in 1910.
The mortality was 0.16 per 1000 population, the mortality in 1910
being 0.15.
Measles is now included amongst the dangerous infectious diseases,
to which Sections 60-65, 68-70, and 72-74 of the Public Health
(London) Act, 1891, apply. These sections extend the provisions
relating to isolation and disinfection to measles, but they do not make
the disease compulsorily notifiable.
But although measles is not a notifiable disease, many cases are
reported to the Medical Officer of Health by school teachers, parents
and others. During the year 1911, 415 cases were reported, as compared
with 642 in 1910.
Measles was exceptionally prevalent in London during 1911,
especially in the first half of the year, and as the type of disease was
severe the mortality was very high. On March 13th the President of
the Local Government Board held a Conference with the Metropolitan
Medical Officers of Health to discuss the measures that might be taken
against the disease. At this Conference a strong opinion was expressed
that further hospital accommodation should be provided for cases for
whom proper nursing and attention cannot be secured at home, and
accordingly the Local Government Board arranged for the Metropolitan
Asylums Board to receive cases of measles other than Poor Law cases,
on the recommendation of the Medical Officer of Health of the district
concerned. Previous to 1911, the only hospitals open to patients
suffering from measles were the workhouse infirmaries, but in February,
1911, Poor Law patients were admitted to the Asylums Board hospitals,
which later became available for other patients. Hospital treatment for
measles on any practicable scale cannot be expected to exercise much
effect in checking the spread of the disease, but it may do much to
lessen the mortality by saving the lives of those patients for whose