View report page

44
WHOOPING COUGH AND MEASLES.
During 1897, 144 and 139 deaths were registered from
Whooping Cough and Measles respectively, as compared
with 140 and 185 during 1896, and annual averages of
159.6 and 155.7 for the last ten years (1887-96).
In London, during 1897, there were registered 1,842 and
1,929 total deaths from Whooping Cough and Measles,
giving corresponding death-rates (uncorrected) of 4.1 and
4.3 per 10,000 of the population living, respectively.
At the beginning of the year, Whooping Cough was
epidemic in Lambeth Parish, and remained so through the
first and second quarters, the numbers of deaths decreasing
considerably during the third and fourth quarters. Measles,
on the other hand, did not become epidemic until the end
of the year (fourth quarter). In both cases, the Inner
Wards of the Parish suffered more severely than the
Outer Wards—a condition of affairs to be explained by
the greater amount of crowding over space and in houses,
and the difficulties attending the treatment of diseases in
the homes of the poorer classes, owing to want of proper
isolation and parental ignorance. In Norwood there were
only 7 deaths during the whole year from Whooping Cough,
and not a single death from Measles.
The part played by schools in disseminating Measles
has been well shewn during the year in Lambeth, and
the great value of school—(or at least class—) closure, in
checking such spread, has been practically proved, as the
following facts testify :—
Lambeth Wesley an Schools, Lambeth Road, Infants'
Department.—Number on roll, 65, and of these 40 % were
absent on account of Measles. School closed from July 5th
to July 23rd, by order of the Medical Officer of Health,
rooms disinfected, cleansed and limewhited, and drains
tested (but without any result), the only sanitary defects