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cause of retarded growth and development and of ill-defined ill-health ;
it often lights up latent tuberculosis; and deafness and defects of evesight
are in many instances attributed to it.
The most serious difficulty in the control of Measles consists in the
fact that the disease is infectious before the definite signs appear by
which its nature can be recognised with certainty. This greatly
reduces the possibility of preventing its spread from the first case to
other susceptible members of a household. The attendance at school of
children in this stage of illness is a frequent cause of school epidemics.
It is not anticipated that this spread in the family and at school can be
more than diminished for some years to come ; but, with early notification
of recognised cases, steps have been initiated both to prevent the
spread of the disease and to secure improved care of patients, including
skilled nursing where necessary.
The compulsory notification of Measles and German Measles, which
was brought into operation by the Local Government Board on
January 1st, 1916, was rescinded at the end of 1919 by the Public
Health (Measles and German Measles) Regulations, 1915, Rescission
Order, 1919.
The Public Health Committee of the Borough Council, in May,
1920, considered the desirability of re-instating the compulsory
notification of Measles (excluding German Measles), and, in making
formal application to the Ministry for an order, expressed the opinion
that it would be to the great advantage of the community if such
compulsory notification were general in all districts. The Ministry
granted the Order making Measles notifiable in Hampstead, and the
Regulations came into force on 1st August. These Regulations
provide that a medical practitioner shall not be required to notify a
case of Measles:—
(a) If he has reasonable grounds for supposing that the case has
already been notified under the Regulations, or
(b) If a case of the disease which he is attending has to his
knowledge occurred in the same household or institution and
been notified within the period of two months immediately
preceding the date on which he first becomes aware of the
disease in the case he is attending.
On the subject of nursing facilities for cases of Measles, I took the