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16
a really extensive scale of any method short of the application
of a protective inoculation which shall do for Measles what
vaccination has done for small-pox.
The occurrence of an epidemic depends, so far as we
know, solely upon a sufficient accumulation of susceptible
children under conditions allowing the introduction of infection
and free personal communication.
The long incubation period, the insidious approach of the
invasion period, the late appearance of the rash are all against
the early recognition of the disease, and therefore against
the early and successful application of preventive measures.
In the year 1911, Measles was registered as the cause
of 44 deaths in Acton, as compared with 19 deaths from
Scarlet Fever, Diphtheria, Enteric Fever and Small-Pox together.
Against Meales but little has been effected, while Scarlet
Fever, Diphtheria, Enteric Fever and Small-Pox have been the
subject of active and fruitful public health administration.
In the Annual Report for 1907 a chart was given showing
the death-rate from Measles each year for the period
1882-1906. It was there shown that epidemics of Measles
occurred every second year with almost automatic regularity
and that the district was visited by a major epidemic at
intervals of 4, 3, 4 and 6 years respectively.
The following table gives the annual number of deaths
in Acton per 100,000 inhabitants for the 30 years 1882-1911
1882-1886 1887-1891 1892-1896 1897-1901 1902-1906 1907-1911
32.6 66.6 50.2 13.6 29 50