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hat during the present month 61 cases of Measles have
been visited in Norwood Ward, and in 16 cases the
'Measles-infected children were found to be out in the
street, instead of being kept indoors to prevent the spread
of the disease, and the after-consequences that arise from
too early exposure to the cold ; whilst out of these 61 cases,
only 34 were being attended by medical men, shewing that
at present parents regard the disease as a trifling one, and
are, unfortunately, ignorant of the dangers to health and
life that may arise from want of care.
The preventive Sections of the Act do not include the
notification of the disease, whilst it must be remembered
that the Vestry, at their Meeting on February 18th, 1897,
confirmed and adopted the Report of the Medical Officer
of Health, in which it was pointed out that notification was
not advisable at present, the expense being out of all
proportion to the benefits to be gained, owing to the want
of proper isolation (Hospital) accommodation, the infectious
nature of the disease in its early stages, the very young
ages of the patients, etc. (p. 239, Minutes, Vestry, 1897).
The Vestry's Officers, therefore, will not, by virtue of these
Sections, necessarily hear of more Measles cases, but will
have authority to prevent children suffering from Measles from
exposing themselves or being exposed in the public streets,
omnibuses, and tramcars, at schools, etc., and the power
to fumigate with sulphur infected rooms (stripping in very
few cases being necessary after Measles, the contagion of
which appears to be, outside the body, evanescent), and
steam disinfect infected bedding and clothes. Another
important point is that it is expected that by including
Measles as a dangerous and infectious disease, people will
become educated to look upon Measles as requiring proper
isolation and care to prevent its spread, and the development
of the serious after-effects, if not death, which are
apt to ensue; and it is manifest that any means that can
be devised to so educate parents should be adopted by a
Sanitary Authority.
I am of opinion that the adoption of the Sections and
their application to Measles (as suggested by the London
County Council in connection with a letter received by
them from the London School Board) will do much good,
but with little (if any) additional cost to the Ratepayers.