London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
London County Council 1913
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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201
Report of the County Medical Officer—Education. ' 201
the total number the exclusion was expedited under the operation of the scheme.
These results are shown in the table below ana compared with a control area comprising five contiguous districts:—
| Areas. | No. of occasions on which action was taken. | No. of occasions first crop caught. | No. of occasions first crop missed. | No. of occasions when no secondary cases occurred in class. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bermondsey, Southwark W. and Walworth | 190 | 35 or 19% | 89 or 46% | 66 or 35% |
| Rotherhithe | 199 | 23 or 12% | 94 or 47% | 82 or 41% |
| Newington W. | ||||
| Lambeth, N. | ||||
| Kennington | ||||
| Camberwell, N |
It will be noted from the above table that there was a difference of 7 per cent, between
the two areas in the percentage of cases in which it was possible to take effective action to
prevent measles from spreading.
If preventive measures are to be effective information must be obtained within 9 days from the date on which the case ot measles was last in attendance at school ; the subjoined table shows the periods which elapsed after the last attendance at school before information of the cases, notified in the experimental area, was received.
| No of days. | Attendance officers. | Head Teachers. |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | 1 |
| 2 | 3 | 29 |
| 3 | 11 | 25 |
| 4 | 8 | 40 |
| 5 | 36 | 41 |
| 6 | 35 | 51 |
| 7 | 30 | 56 |
| 8 | 17 | 43 |
| 9 | 12 | 29 |
| 10 | 14 | 22 |
| 11 | 11 | 27 |
| 12 | 20 | 22 |
| 13 | 17 | 23 |
| 14 | 29 | 22 |
| Over 14 | 64 | 263 |
| Total | 312 | 694 |
The foregoing analysis shows that in 50 per cent, of the cases reported by attendance officers
direct to the Public Health Department the information was obtained within 9 days, and in the case
of notification from head teachers 47 per cent, of cases were reported within that period. It must be
stated, however, that in a large proportion of instances the children contract measles whilst excluded
from school by reason of infection in the home or during absence for other causes, and such cases, of
course, cannot be regarded as direct infecting agents at the school.
The object of the experiment, in addition to that of securing earlier notification, was to
determine, as far as possible, the best methods of controlling the disease upon receipt of information
of the cases. Different measures were applied in the three electoral areas comprising the
experimental district, as follows :—
Bermondsey.
The customary procedure was followed, viz.:—
(i.) Exclusion of unprotected children from affected class when the proportion of
"susceptibles " is considered sufficiently high to favour spread of the disease.
(ii.) Exclusion of unprotected children under 5 years when considered necessary as a
protective measure.
Southwark, W.
If over 20 per cent, unprotected children in department:—
(i.) Exclusion of unprotected children from affected classes,
(ii.) Exclusion of unprotected children under 5 years throughout the department.
If under 20 per cent, unprotected:—
Exclusion of unprotected children from classrooms affected.
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