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INFECTIOUS DISEASE.
There was a very large reduction in the prevalence
of infectious disease throughout 1916. By the new
Measles regulations, which came into force at the commencement
of the year, the obligation on medical men to
notify this disease is limited to the first case in any
particular household; subsequent cases in the same
family, occurring within the following two months, are
not to be reported by the Doctor, but the requirement to
report these is thrown upon the parent or guardian (under
penalty for failure). The object of making Measles notifiable
was in order that such cases should be kept under
observation so that medical and nursing assistance could
be given in suitable cases, as the Borough Councils are
now authorised to provide both of these at the expense
of the rates. The notification of Measles threw a good
deal of extra work upon the Health Visitors, but it was
found possible to visit all known cases and to revisit them
at the expiration of a fortnight. 1,404 cases of Measles
were notified, visited and revisited; 1,175 of these were
treated at home, 170 of the worst cases were removed to
Metropolitan Asylums Board Hospitals, and 59 to other
hospitals and infirmaries. There were 19 deaths from
Measles, ten at home and nine in hospital, a case mortality
rate of 1.35 per cent. The following table indicates
the locality (hospital or home) of the deaths from
infectious disease :