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18
Apart from the lessened severity of the initial symptoms the
liability to lung complications is much greater in the winter than
in the summer. A Measles epidemic is in many ways a less
formidable occurrence in the summer than in the winter and one
is justified in taking every step, no matter how drastic, to
prevent an epidemic during the winter months, though our
efforts may result only in the postponement of an outbreak for a
few months.
It is possible that the disease was introduced into the
district on several occasions. Some of the earlier cases reported
from the schools were not Measles, and the cases reported from
South Acton and Rothschild Road Schools in January probably
came within this category.
The first undoubted case occurred in the Central Infant's
Department. The child was excluded from School on January
31st. The symptoms first appeared on the previous Friday
(January 28th), and the child had not mixed with the other
children on January 31st. The child attended the class in
Room V.
Great care was exercised to prevent the spread of the
disease in this class, and a child who had been excluded on
February 10th, on account of suspicious symptoms, subsequently
developed the disease. No further cases were reported from
this class until May 17th, when three cases were notified.
In Room IV, a case occurred in February, one in March,
two in April, one in May before the Whitsuntide holidays, and
six in May subsequently to the holidays.
The earlier cases in Class IV all occurred towards the end
of the week, and we wish to emphasize this point as a factor in
the postponement of the spread of the outbreak.
The first case in this class exhibited symptoms on February
25th (Friday), and the child was last in school on February
24th. She was kept home on the Friday and the rash had
appeared before Monday.