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53
Measles.
Of the 58 deaths from measles in the Borough during 1914, 47
(i.e., 8103 per cent.) occurred amongst children under 5 years of
age, showing that measles is a disease of young children, and especially
fatal to such. 16 of the deaths (i.e., 27.6 per cent.) occurred
amongst infants under 1 year of age.
With regard to measles, extra precautions are taken in connection
with disinfection of measles.infected houses, exclusion
of children (both infected children and also children from infected
houses) from schools, the closing of classes or whole schools on
account of outbreak of measles, the distributing of leaflets and
posters, and the educating of parents to regard measles as a serious
and dangerous infectious disease, and not as a trivial complaint
of childhood.
Further powers should be given to Sanitary Authorities to
exclude from attendance at school all children from measles.infected
houses and all children under 5 years of age, whether living
in measles.infected houses or not.
Measles is not compulsorily notifiable, but 1,531 cases (during
1914) were reported voluntarily (chiefly through schools) to the
Borough Council. Measles being chiefly a " School Disease,"
this voluntary system of notification is valuable.
Of the 1,531 notified cases, 28 (i.e., 1.8 per cent.) were removed
to hospital from the Borough, non.pauper as well as pauper cases
being now received for treatment and isolation in hospital, under
the new» Metropolitan Asylums (Measles) Order (August 9th).
The small percentage was due to the order being temporarily
suspended, the beds being required for scarlet fever cases.
Measles is spread chiefly through Schools, especially Infants'
Departments, and during 1914 precautions were taken in respect
thereto in the way of exclusion of all known cases of measles, and
all" unprotected " children,* i.e., those who have not previously had
an attack of the disease, thereby securing the minimum interference
with school attendance.
106 Schools (Infants' Departments) were dealt with, representing
121 different class.rooms or grades, and a total of 1,599
children, excluded for periods varying from a few days to a few
weeks on account of outbreaks of measles in connection therewith
(a total of 267 cases of measles). 8 Schools were disinfected
in connection with outbreaks of measles.
* "Unprotected" children only are excluded from Schools by the
L.C.C. instructions issued by their Educational Department.