View report page

126
While doubtless a great deal of good is accomplished by
these measures in limiting the spread of the disease when
epidemics arise, it cannot be said that they have done much to
lower the high rate of mortality which the Death Returns exhibit
during such outbreaks. During the exceptional prevalence of
the disease in the beginning of 1911, with a view to devising
improved methods of dealing with the disease, a Conference of
the Medical Officers of Health of London was held on the 13th
March, at the Offices of the Local Government Board. As a
result of this Conference the Board, on the 10th April, issued a
circular letter as follows :—
"I am directed by the Local Government Board to state
that they have had under consideration the present outbreak of
Measles in London, and on the suggestion of the President, their
Medical Officer has conferred with the Medical Officers of the
London County Council and of the various Borough Councils as
to the measures which may be taken in dealing with it.
"At the Conference the view was generally expressed that
Sanitary Authorities have been hampered in their efforts to check
the spread of the disease by the absence of early information of
cases, and the question was considered whether the difficulty
would be removed if Measles were made a notifiable disease.
"On this question widely divergent views as to the value of
notification were shown to exist. A very large number of cases
are not attended by a doctor, and it was pointed out that in such
cases the adoption of the Notification Act would be a dead1 letter.
"It may also be observed that the notification of Measles
has been tried in a large number of towns and then abandoned.
"Without, therefore, expressing any view on the question
whether the notification of Measles would be justified, it is clear
that such other means of obtaining information as are available
should be fully utilised.
"The Board find that the School Attendance Department of
the London Education Department have supplied much valuable
information as regards Measles in the past, and in view of the
proceedings at the Conference it appeared to the Board that it
might be practicable to arrange that this source of information
should be made more readily available.
"On this question the Board have consulted the Board of
Education, and it has now been arranged that so long as the
present emergency lasts, the School Attendance Officers will give
speedy information to the Medical Officers of Health of all cases