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to our notice those cases which, generally speaking, require
instruction on the importance of the disease, the consequences of
neglect, and the need for the provision of nursing.
Notification of measles with complications would help to
reduce the mortality from this disease if it were possible to get
the cases removed to hospital, but, as the matter stands at
present, hospital accommodation is only available for the reception of a limited number.
There are two difficulties which the Public Health Department have to overcome :—
1. The set idea in the minds of a large section of the
community that measles is so unimportant as not to
require medical attention, and
2. The early knowledge of the disease which the school
information of cases does not provide.
On information reaching the Public Health Department,
cases of measles are visited by the women Inspectors, and those
cases whose housing conditions do not allow of treatment at
home are removed to the Metropolitan Asylums Board's hospitals
on the certificate of the Medical Officer of Health.
Research work in connection with measles has brought to
light the possibility of immunising children against this disease
through the injection of blood serum from persons who are
convalescent from the disease.
The immunisation is reported to be temporary, lasting no
longer than three months. This protection, though only temporary, it is claimed could be used to advantage in connection with
young and feeble children among whom the mortality from
measles is always very high, and also for children in Institutions
where infection has already started.
Whooping Cough.
With an idea of creating in the minds of parents the importance of this disease and the danger of regarding it with
indifference, the same method is employed as in the case of
measles, to acquaint every household where a birth takes place
of the responsibility of the parents not only to seek medical
advice but to notify the Public Health Department of the existence of whooping cough in the home, so that the assistance of
the Local Authority may be rendered to everyone who is in need
of either home nursing services or the removal, if possible, of the
case to hospital.
The following is the information given, and is printed on the
reverse side of the measles card, which appears on page 21.