View report page

56
and reported early, so that not only was closure applied early, but there were few cases in the first
crops, and the spread of the disease was in all cases arrested.
In the first half of the year three cases failed together on May 16th and 17th in the babies'
class; this class was closed from May 19th to 29th, 1 secondary case only took place amongst
40 unprotected. In Classes B and C, however, at the expected time (May 26th to 29th), 3 cases
fell amongst 68 unprotected children ; these classes were closed, but no further cases could be traced
amongst them; at the right period (June 9th to 13th), however, 2 cases occurred in Class D amongst
the 20 unprotected children, and closure was here promptly carried out, although no secondary cases
occurred (diagram XXV.).
In the second half of 1904 a case again occurred at Conway-road, being a child of 7 who
brought the complaint from Swindon. Fortunately she belonged to the best protected class (only 4
out of 74 had not had measles); instead of closing the class, only those who had not had measles
were excluded, but as it happened none of these contracted the complaint; but at the looked-for
time cases occurred in the two neighbouring classes, E and G. E was closed for a period during
which 1 secondary case fell, while in G. only the children reported not to have had measles were
excluded, and 2 amongst the 5 excluded took it, the 55 remaining in attendance escaping. By these
measures happily what few cases there were remained confined to the upper classes, and no spread
to the Infants' Department occurred (diagram XXVI.).
During the early part of 1905 a single case appeared, and again no secondary case occurred,
although the precaution of excluding 7 children who were unprotected was taken.
Here, although closure undoubtedly helped, it is clear from the fact that the secondary cases
came down in other classes, and that they were few in number, that the care on the part of the
head mistress and teachers played the most important part. Closure can never be efficient in itself
unless quick intelligence is given by keen and trained teachers.
Bostall Lane School.—At this school a large number of importations of measles took place during
the year. There were four class closures before the summer holidays and six afterwards. As will