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APPENDIX.
REPORT BY DR. THOMAS ON MEASLES IN THE WOOLWICH DISTRICT.
The inquiry into the spread of measles has been continued in the Woolwich district
with the co-operation of Dr. Davies. Particular attention has been given to the incidence
of cases in school outbreaks amongst the age groups and amongst the protected and unprotected;
it has been possible to do this with increasing certainty and facility since the teachers are
becoming accustomed to the measles-history cards, and throughout the division practically every
child now in an Infants' department has had its measles history entered upon admission to
the school.
Diagram XII.
Purrett-road School.—The first outbreak demanding notice was at this school during April
and May, 1904. (Diagram XII.) Here the first intimation of the impending outbreak was the
absence of a number of children in Classroom B (aged 4-5) from April 22nd to 26th. On the
27th it was learnt that many of the cases were measles and the class was closed at once, but
too late to be of any effect in arresting the course of the outbreak. Notwithstanding all care
the first case or cases had been missed, and the outbreak from April 22nd to 26th was the
"first crop," and consisted of 18 cases out of a possible 34. After careful inquiry it was
subsequently found that a child had attended on April 11th in this class, undoubtedly in an
infectious condition, and had then sown the seed. Already the neighbouring classes had
been infected, and although prompt closure was enforced the "second crop," which came down
in the four junior classes between May 3rd and 15th, was extremely heavy and practically
exhausted the material; 35 out of 51 in the Babies' class; 28 out of 34 unprotected in the
class B (aged 4-5); 17 out of 19 in class C, and 7 out of 10 in class D. Classes E and F, both
containing children over 7 years of age, entirely escaped. In all 87 children suffered, and out of
these 80 had been reported as not having had measles, while 7 were said to be second attacks.
At this school, therefore, measles appeared and spread when 85 out of 149 children under
five were reported not to have had measles—i.e. 57 per cent., and out of those reported unprotected
77 per cent. suffered.