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58
clusion of children (both infected children and also children
from infected houses) from schools, the closing of classes or
whole schools on account of outbreaks of Measles, the distributing
of leaflets and posters, and the educating of parents
to regard Measles as a serious or dangerous infectious
disease, and not a trivial complaint of childhood.
Measles is not compulsorily notifiable, but, through L.C.C.
Schools, 1998 cases (during 1908) were reported to the
Borough Council. Measles being chiefly a "School"
Disease, this voluntary system of notification is most desirable,
and will, it is hoped, be, in the future, extended (vide
Appendix).
Of the 101 deaths from Measles in Lambeth Borough
during 1908, 98 (i.e., 97.03 per cent.) occurred amongst
children under 5 years of age, shewing that Measles is a
disease of young children, and especially fatal to such. 16
of the deaths (i.e., 15.8 per cent.) occurred amongst infants
under 1 year of age.
During 1908 in the Borough of Lambeth disinfection has
been carried out in connection with 1504 Measles-infected
houses as compared with 1998, 836, 1970, 1294, 1346, 364,
728 and 941 during 1907, 1906, 1905, 1904, 1903, 1902, 1901
and 1900 respectively.
Measles is spread chiefly through Schools, especially Infants'
Departments, and during 1908 special precaution in
the way of closure have been taken in respect thereto, as
follows (the usual disinfection of the Schoolrooms being also
carried out):—
Vauxhall Street School (Infants' Department).—The Infants'
Department (class-room G) was closed from February
14th, 1908, to February 24th, 1908 (rising epidemics, 6
cases), an average of 6.7 per cent. of the infants being absent
suffering from Measles. Result of closure was a decline in
the number of Measles cases.