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96
Report of the Medical Officer of Health.
The following pamphlet is now left at every house where a
case of Whooping Cough has been notified from school, and also
in all other known cases.
During the year 49 visits were made by the Sanitary Inspectors
in cases of Whooping Cough, six in Clapham, 29 in Streatham,
two in Tooting, and 12 in Wandsworth. The small number
of cases visited is explained by the fact that it was only during
the last six weeks of the year that these cases were systematically
visited.
"PRECAUTIONS AGAINST WHOOPING COUGH.
"1.—Whooping Cough is a very fatal infectious disease.
In the five years 1905-1909 the total number of deaths from
Whooping Cough in London was 6,230, or nearly three times
greater than the number of deaths from Scarlet Fever.
"2.—It is very infectious, even before the well known
crowing sound shows itself.
"3.—When a child has Whooping Cough no other child
or neighbour accompanied by a child must be admitted to the
house, nor should the child who is ill be allowed to return to
school or play with other children for 14 days after the
<'whoops" have stopped altogether.
"4.—A child suffering from Whooping Cough should if
possible be kept in one room, with a fire burning in it and the
window slightly open to admit fresh air.
"5.—When one child has been attacked, the other children
in the house who have not had the disease should be
watched, and any illness accompanied by coughing should be
regarded as probably Whooping Cough.
"6.—All the other children in the house who have not
bad Whooping Cough before must be kept away from school,
but the other children living in the house who have had
Whooping Cough may continue at school.
"The same applies to the attendance of children at any
public meeting such as Church, Sunday-school, or Children's
Treat.