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The prevalence of measles among school children is referred to in the reports relating to
the following districts—
Paddington—The infants' department of the Board Schools in Campbell-street was closed on
account of prevalence of measles by order of the vestry from the 15th March to the 29th March, of
the St. Paul's Church Schools from the 29th March to the 18th April, and of the St. Mary's
Church School from the 31st March to the 18th April. The attendances in the infants'
department of some of the other schools were very greatly reduced, but closure was not
found necessary. The code drawn up by the School Board for London for use in the Board's schools
directs the teachers to report to the medical officer of health of the district in which the scholar
resides every case of measles coming to their knowledge. It was found that this provision was not
understood by the teachers, but when pointed out to them, was very generally acted upon.
Westminster—Measles was very prevalent at the beginning of the year in St. John's Infant
School, Tufton-street. On January 10th, when school was re-opened, out of a possible 233 scholars
only 123 were present, 25 of the absent being known to be suffering from measles.
St. Pancras—The infants' departments of the Home and Colonial Practising School in
Gray's-inn-road, and of the National Schools in Camden-street were closed in June on account of
the prevalence of measles in the neighbourhood and in the schools.
Islington—In a detailed report on the progress of the disease in Islington, the medical officer
of health refers to its prevalence among the children attending the infants' departments of St.
Anne's Church School and of Upper Hornsey-road and Poole's-park Board Schools which were closed
for this reason in the latter part of 1897. The disease subsequently spread to other parts of the
district, and the infants' departments in the following schools were closed: the Foster-road Board
School, closed at the end of January; the St. Mark's Church School, Grove-road, the Yerbury-road
Board School, the St. Paul's Church Schools, the Station-road Board School, the Caledonian-road
Board School, the St. Mary Magdalen (Chapel of Ease) Church School, closed in February; the St.
Mary Church Schools, the St. Clement Schools, the Ecclesbourne-road Board Schools, the Westbourne-road
Board Schools, the Canonbury-road Board School, and the Duncombe-road Board
School were closed in March. After the Easter holiday, in April, the infants' department of the
Victoria-place Board Schools were closed.
An interesting table in the report shows that 7,193 children were on the rolls of the infants'
departments of these several schools, that 2,035 of these children were attacked with measles
or were living in infected houses, or 28 3 per cent. The longest period for which the sanitary
authority ordered the schools to be closed was 28 days, the usual period being 21 days. the
medical officer of health adds that he is of opinion that it would have been better if the schools had
been closed when the proportion of absentees on account of measles had reached 10 9er cent., and
he writes "Unfortunately in most cases I was unable to carry out my desires, because I had not
daily information from the head teachers of the infant schools ; indeed, it was only when there was
an unusual number of children absent, or when I made enquiries, that they suddenly awoke to the
necessity of notifying the absentees to me. I think they more thoroughly understand the importance
of this matter now, and that the future will show that cases of measles will be more
readily notified by them than has been their custom." In nearly every instance inquiries were
1 See footnote (1) page 3.
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