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The deaths caused by measles during 1924 numbered 51,
giving a total mortality-rate at all ages of .30, as compared with
24 deaths and a death-rate of .14 in 1923 and 66 deaths and a deathrate
of .39 in 1922.
The disease was most prevalent in the first quarter of 1924,
41 of the 51 deaths occurring in that period of the year. The fatal
cases, with one exception, were of children under 5 years.
The special precautionary measures described in previous
annual reports were systematically carried out. These included
visits by the Health Visitors to the houses of all cases notified,
advice to mothers as to the importance of early medical assistance,
nursing assistance where required, and removal of cases to hospital
where the home conditions rendered it advisable. During 1924
the number of cases removed to the Metropolitan Asylums Board's
Hospital was 176.
Whooping-Cough.
During 1924, 511 cases of whooping-cough were notified under
the Battersea (Measles and Whooping-Cough) Regulations, 1922, to
the Medical Officer of Health, and 305 additional cases were reported
from the public elementary schools and other sources.
There were 17 deaths registered from the disease, the death-rate
being 0.099, as compared with 16 deaths and a death-rate of
0.095 in 1923, 22 deaths and a mortality-rate of 0.13 in 1922, and
30 deaths and a death-rate of 0.18 in 1921.
The total number of cases notified or otherwise reported
during 1924 was 816, as compared with 1,024 in 1923, a decrease
of 25 per cent.