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The same facilities, as in the case of measles (see below), are available for the
home nursing of cases of Ophthalmia Neonatorum, through the Mayoress' Nursing Fund.
In 1920 the visiting nurses made 570 visits to 35 cases in this connection.
MEASLES AND GERMAN MEASLES.
These diseases were made compulsorily notifiable throughout the country by an Order
of the Local Government Board as from January 1st, 1916, the Order being known as the
Public Health (Measles and German Measles) Regulations, 1915. Under these regulations
all cases were notifiable by parents and guardians, but only the first case occurring in an
outbreak in a household or institution was notifiable by medical practitioners, an interval of
two months since the last case constituting a new outbreak. Full use was made of the
regulations in St. Pancras, practically every case of measles being promptly visited and
investigated by a health visitor upon notification, and a leaflet of instructions left with the
parent. In all cases where it appeared necessary on the health visitor's report the Medical
Officer of Health was able to send a visiting nurse daily, and also to supply medical
necessaries, such as milk or coals in cases of necessity. These facilities were available
through the Mayoress' Nursing Fund for Sick Children. Where removal to hospital was
essential, this could often be arranged through the Metropolitan Asylums Board or the
Guardians.
Towards the end of 1919 the Ministry of Health announced that the Regulations
would be revoked as from the 31st December, 1919, and at the same time stated that if any
local authority desired that the diseases should continue to be notifiable in their district the
Ministry would make a local Order to that effect, provided it was satisfied that the authority
had a complete scheme for dealing with the cases notified. The St. Pancras Borough Council
were satisfied as to the value of notification, and on their request the Ministry made an Order
providing for the compulsory notification of measles and german measles in St. Pancras on
the same lines as those laid down in the 1915 Regulations. This arrangement was made
definite by the Metropolitan Boroughs of Lambeth and St. Pancras (Measles and German
Measles) Regulations, 1920.
In June, 1920, the Council, on the consideration of a communication in that sense
received from the Metropolitan Borough of Chelsea, informed the Ministry of Health that
they were of opinion that measles should be made a compulsorily notifiable disease throughout
London.
With a view to indicating the value of compulsory notification, the cases of measles
(463) reported in St. Pancras from June to December (inclusive), 1920, were analysed
accordingly as the information was derived from compulsorv notification, or by the system of
reporting cases from the public elementary schools.

The "primary" cases were those which were the first cases in the houses in which
they occurred, and the "secondary" cases were the subsequent cases in those houses. Only
cases of measles are included, not german measles. The figures indicate that one-half of all
the cases reported were heard of through compulsory notification only. It was also found
that many of the school reports of cases were too much delayed to be of real service.