London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Acton 1911

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Acton]

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23
South Acton, Beaumont Park and Priory Schools. It was in
South Acton that the majority of the deaths occurred. It is
usually found that Measles increases in virulence as an
epidemic progresses, but the greater mortality was probably
due to causes other than increased virulence in the type of
the disease.
The epedemic lasted until the end of May; it then gradually
subsided, but the district was not free of the disease until
about the middle of July.

The total number of cases notified from the School was 1496, distributed as follows:—

Turnham Green11
East Acton38
Acton59
Acton Wells129
Priory133
Rothschild Raad184
Southfield Road187
Central188
South Acton266
Beaumont Park301

The spread of Measles in the district followed closely on
that of its spread in the schools, and it is generally agreed
that Measles is spread on the largest scale by the attendance
at public elementary infant schools of children in the catarrhal
stage of the disease. The occurrence of similar spread in the
boys and girls departments of the same schools is prevented
by the fact that most of the scholars in these departments
are already protected by previous attack.
This connection between school attendance and infection
brings us to a consideration of the preventive measures against
Measles.