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Diagram XIV. (see p. 48), shews the effect upon the classes in a school of freedom from measles for
two years followed by a severe outbreak (see diagram XII.). Each square represents a child, the plain
squares representing the children who have not had measles. In column 1 the condition at the
commencement of the enquiry in 1902 is shewn. Class I. represents the seven year olds and
Class VI. the babies.
The dotted squares represent those whose measles history could not be obtained.
In column 2 is seen the gradual accumulation of material, until in the lower classes over
50 p.c. become unprotected.
In column 3 the effect of a sharp outbreak of measles is shewn. Those suffering during this
attack are shewn by black squares. In Classes I. and II. no cases occurred, shewing the protective
influence of a large proportion of children who have already had measles, exerts; this is shewn
also in the lower classes in the proportion of children who escape; in a well-conducted school an
epidemic of measles never goes so far as to totally clean the slate; the number of unprotected is
brought down to about 15 p.c. or 20 p.c., and then the epidemic ceases.
Diagram XIII.
Eglinton-road School.—The next school to be attacked was Eglinton-road, a school in the nonclosing
half of the district. Here, however, the Easter holiday acted as a closure, and so far from
arresting the spread, an examination of diagram XIII. shows that with the conditions of urban life,
under which the children meet, the opportunities of contracting and spreading the disease may be
considerable even when the schools are closed. The first case here, on March 12th in Class D, a
well-protected class (aged 6) the unprotected children in this class (13 out of 77) did not contract
it, but a child in class B showed signs on March 20th and one in Class A on March 25th. There
was in class A (the Babies) a large number of unprotected cases (62 out of 108) and a crop of 6
cases came down entirely in the Easter holiday; in spite of the fact that the children were not
attending school a very large number of children contracted the disease during the holidays, and
within four days of the return to school the second crop began to fall, numbering altogether 39 cases
in classrooms A and B; although it must be noted that there was on the twelfth day after the
school recommenced a great increase in the number of cases, doubtless due to school influence. The
number of cases which came down subsequently to this third crop was insignificant, and school
closure, had it taken place, say, on April 21st, would not have saved so many as half a dozen cases,
although it might have appeared to have arrested the outbreak. Out of the 56 cases of measles
here 52 had been reported not to have had measles before, while 4 were said to be second attacks.