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43
of deaths had occurred at ages under five years as did
actually occur at all ages over five years there would
have been a total of only 4 deaths, as compared with -17
which did actually occur.
Therefore any steps which can be taken to defer the
age at which a child becomes subject to this infection is
a distinct gain, and although the number of actual cases
at the higher ages will thereby be materially increased,
yet the total number of deaths ascribed to this disease will
apparently be very considerably decreased.
One of the chief steps which might be taken in this
respect, in my opinion, is by not admitting to school any
child under the age of five years, as undoubtedly by
this means we should guard these children from the fatal
infection obtained by reason of their school attendance.
Of course this would not obviate their being brought into
contact with the infection if it were brought home bymeans
of another child sickening for the disease, but the
result of my observations tends to show that by far the
larger number of fresh centres of infection are brought
about by means of school attendance and aggregating
together of susceptible material in a classroom in close
proximity to any focus of infection.
This reasoning appears to be almost accepted by the
London County Council Education Authorities, for we
find that from time to time they give directions that in
certain classes all children under the age of five years
are to be excluded from attendance for a certain period.
This is done undoubtedly with the very good object
of preventing these young children coming into the focus
of infection at the time when there is a grave suspicion
of the infection being present, but it seems to me that this
is only a sort of trifling with the matter, and that it would