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45
MEASLES AND WHOOPING COUGH.
During 1899, 169 and 130 deaths were registered from
Measles and Whooping Cough respectively, as compared
with 133 and 159 during 1898, and annual averages of
155.8 and 154.1 for the last ten years (1889-98).
In London, during 1899, there were registered 2,142 and
1,720 total deaths from Measles and Whooping Cough,
giving corresponding death-rates (uncorrected) of 4.7 and
3.8 per 10,000 of the population living, respectively.
Waterloo Road First suffered most, and Norwood least,
from Measles; whilst Lambeth Church Second suffered
most, and Norwood least, from Whooping Cough.
Measles was epidemic in Lambeth during the second,
third and fourth quarters, reaching a maximum during the
second quarter.
In the Annual Report for 1898 it was pointed out that
the Vestry decided to distribute from house-to-house a
leaflet pointing out the after-effects of Measles, if not
properly attended to, and also the general dangerous and
infectious nature of the disease. Posters (large and small)
were also posted throughout the Parish, and every means
taken to educate the public as to the serious nature of
Measles and the urgent necessity for taking precautions to
prevent its spread. The result has been that the amount
of disinfection in connection with Measles-infected houses
and clothes has been very considerably increased during
1899 (773 cases as compared with 129 during 1898).
The question as to the advisability of including Measles
amongst the dangerous and infectious diseases for the purposes
set forth in certain sections of the Public Health
(London) Act, 1891, without compulsory notification, still