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outbreak, of 213 in the closing division 162, or 76 per cent., have already suffered, while in the nonclosing
district of 99 children, 76 have suffered, exactly the same percentage. It is therefore clear that,
in the long run, closing has had little effect upon the spread of measles. Bostall Lane School is an
interesting example; at the end of the year 1904-5, although measles had appeared several times,
outbreaks were cut short by class closure and 42 per cent. of the children were left who had not
had measles ; this seemed to be a signal success, but the sequel was 16 separate class closures,
owing to as many outbreaks in 1906-7. No control was obtained over the disease, and at present
this school stands among the schools with the lowest proportion of children who have not had measles.
Our experience shows the usual official sanitary idea of results in measles prevention by school
or class closure is mere imagination, and that closure applied in the only successful manner,
at the occurrence of a first case, postpones measles for such a short time that the interference with
school work except under special conditions is hardly justified and that for any effective results trained
teachers capable of detecting the first case of measles are an absolute necessity. Whilst the incidence
of measles has not been diminished, but appears to have been if anything rather increased, by
closure in Woolwich, there has been a considerable effect on the death-rate due probably to better
warning of parents and education by the cards issued from the schools ; by the instructions of
teachers and visits of sanitary inspectors. It is to be noted, too, that the teachers who at first were
disposed to be hostile, have now also become educated and carry out the routine required intelligently
and accurately. The time has now come when the details carried out in Woolwich can be remitted,
and the registration of measles immunity be required in a special column of the attendance
register in every infant school.
SPECIAL SCHOOLS.
There is no fresh departure to chronicle in connection with the Special Schools.
New provisions and new work is being more or less held over until the Report of the Royal Commission
appears.

During the winter, for political reasons apparently, an attempt was made to discredit the Special
school work of the Council on its medical side. The details of the attack are not worth recounting.
Such an attack from the first was perfectly hopeless. The method by which the cases are examined and
recorded make the decisions on the particular class of case selected as subjects for the demonstration
as accurate as practical clinical specialist knowledge can make them, so that the Council can be prepared
to stand by these decisions fearlessly before any honest tribunal.