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BOROUGH OF HORNSEY.
information for the Use of Householders
respecting Measles.
Measles is too often a very fatel disease; especially is this the
case where it attacks young children.
The Medical Officer of Health asks the co-operation of all
parents in helping to prevent the spread of this disease.
It is a great mistake to regard Measles as only a trifling
affection, as is too often done. During recent years Measles alone
has caused on an average in England and Wales over 12,000 deaths
a year! This is more than all the deaths caused by Small pox,
Scarlet Fever, and Typhoid Fever put together!
Moreover, as most of these deaths are in children under the
age of three or four years, there is a special reason for guarding
children against it during the first few years of life.
GENERAL PRECAUTIONS.
EARLY SYMPTOMS.
These are very much those of an ordinary feverish cold.
There is usually sneezing, coughing, running at the eyes and nose,
heaviness, etc. Occasionally there may be vomiting, diarrhoea
or shivering. The rash often does not appear till the third or
fourth day, but the disease is infectious from the very beginning.
Therefore, whenever there is the slightest reason for suspecting
Measles, the child should be at once isolated from the other children
without waiting for the rash.
N.B.—Sometimes, during the interval before the rash comes
out, the early symptoms almost disappear for a time, and thus
may mislead as to the real nature of the illness.
ISOLATION.
It is very important that the sick child be kept in a room by
itself, away from the other children.
In the case of a small house and a large family this may not
always be considered practicable, but an effort should at least be
mad© to keep the younger children, and those who have never had
the disease, from catching it.