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90
Report of the Medical Officer of Health.
904 of these were cases of Measles, 1,010 of Chicken-pox, 919
of Whooping Cough, 1,274 of Mumps, and 510 of Ringworm.
There was an increase in the number of cases of Chicken-pox,
Whooping Cough and Mumps, and a decrease in the number of
cases of Measles and Ringworm.
With regard to Measles, 253 were notified from schools in
Clapham, 225 in Putney, 202 in Streatham, 130 in Tooting, and
94 in Wandsworth.
The schools chiefly affected were : in Clapham, Haselrigge
Road and St. Andrew's Street; in Putney, Hotham Road, St.
Mary's and All Saints; in Streatham, Oldridge Road, Broadwater
Road and Fircroft Road; in Tooting, Tooting Graveney; and in
Wandsworth, Earlsfield Schools.
There was no widespread epidemic of this disease either in
1909 or 1910, but in the current year it is already, at the
beginning of the year, epidemic, and the number of cases and
deaths will be much greater compared with the two previous
years.
The following pamphlet is now left at every house where a
case of Measles has been notified from school, and also in all
other known cases:—
"PRECAUTIONS AGAINST MEASLES.
"1.—Measles is a dangerous infectious disease and is
very fatal to young children. In the five years 1905-1909 the
total number of deaths from Measles in London was 9,260,
or more than four times greater than the number of deaths
from Scarlet Fever.
"2.—It is very highly infectious, especially in the early
stage before the rash appears.
"The first symptoms of the disease are coughing, sneezing,
and redness of the eyes.
"3.—A child suffering from Measles must not be sent to
school until four weeks after the appearance of the rash.