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20
During the third week in May 12 cases were reported
from the Priory School, and altogether 104 cases were notified
from the Priory Infants Department.
In June the disease had made its appearance in South
Acton and St. Mary's Schools.
During the second week in June 27 cases were notified
from the South Acton Infants' Department, and 64 cases were
altogether notified.
Forty-one cases were notified from St. Mary's School, the
first case being in the third week in June.
The epidemic made no headway in the schools situated
to the north of the High Street, only three cases being
reported from the Central School, and one each from
Willesden Junction and East Acton Schools.
The above dates give a fair idea of the course which the
epidemic took. In most instances its detection in a school
only takes place on the occurrence of the first crop. Under
such conditions Measles once introduced into the Infants'
Departments of a school spreads with the greatest rapidity
and often assails the whole of the susceptible children within a
few weeks. If information could be obtained of the earliest
cases school closure could then be resorted to with some
prospect of success. But unless the earlier cases are detected
the outbreak has got beyond the stage of effective control by
school closure.
With the exception of Southfield Road school closure was
not resorted to. The ordinary rules for the exclusion of
affected children and contacts were adopted. Southfield Road
Infants' Department was closed from April 25th to May 24th.
If school closure is to be of any avail it must be done at
the earliest opportunity, and at the start of an outbreak.
Under the conditions obtaining in Urban Districts it is doubtful
if school closure is ever resorted to with any decided hope
of checking the spread of an epidemic. It is possible, though,