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NON-NOTIFIABLE INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
Measles.
In 1924, 1,944 cases came to the notice of the Public Health
Department.
72 deaths were recorded from this disease.
During the year the question of making measles notifiable
was discussed by the Council, who, acting on a report I submitted
to the Public Health Committee, supported the view that
it was not advisable to follow this course. It was resolved,
however, to issue a card containing the following information to
every household from which a notification of birth is received.
MEASLES.
Caution to parents.
Measles is an extremely dangerous disease, especially among children, owing
to the complications of bronchitis and broncho-pneumonia, and causes more
deaths among them than diphtheria and scarlet fever.
Always suspect that a child may be sickening for measles when it seems
to be suffering from a bad cold.
If the child has measles a rash will develop three or four days after the
commencement of the disease.
What you should do.—At once call in a doctor. If the treatment is neglected
death may result, or life-long injury be caused to health of the child, such as
permanent loss of hearing.
Inform the Medical Officer of Health with a view to assistance in nursing,
and the removal to hospital if necessary.
Keep the child in a separate room, but if this is not possible, in a separate bed.
Do not forget to notify the Head Teacher of the school attended by the child
at once of the occurrence of a case in your home.
How to prevent to spread of Infection. —All children under five years of age
must be kept away from school, and prevented from mixing with other children
in the streets, or elsewhere. Children who have had measles and are in the upper
school may continue to attend, if they do not come in contact with the infection.
If they have not had the disease do not send them to school until the Monday
following 14 days from the commencement of the illness of the last case in the
house.
The child with measles must not be sent to school before at least four weeks
from the commencement of the illness, and not then if the child is not absolutely
well.
Remember to disinfect the room after the child has recovered. Open all
windows ; thoroughly wash with soap and water, to which disinfectant has been
added, all furniture and woodwork in the room. Boil the clothes and bed linen
of the sick child.
Take care of this Card. you may want it.
The responsibility, therefore, of informing the Public Health
Department so as to obtain the facilities provided by the Local
Authority for dealing with this disease now rests with the parents.
Experience has proved that the assistance of a doctor is not
sought in every case of a child thought to be sickening for
measles, and compulsory notification would not assist in bringing