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but as the closure has been commonly deferred until a large
proportion of the children are already absent, it has proved
useless, in populous districts at least, for the purpose of
preventing the spread cf the disease.
If Measles is introduced into a school, the first crop of
secondary cases will occur about 12 days after the original case,
and in 12 days more there will be a second crop, comprising
the majority of the unprotected children. Thus school closure
as ordinarily practised after the second crop of cases has
occurred fails to prevent an epidemic. In view of this experience,
a class closure of short duration after the occurrence
of the first case of Measles in the class may be substituted,
the class being closed on the ninth day after the sickening of
the first child, for a period of five days only. After this period,
only those who have sickened need be excluded, along with
those in the same households who have not had Measles or
who attend the infant school.
Under different conditions, all these procedures were adopted
in this district, but their success was only partial. In a majority
of instances, in practical working, when it is known by notification
that Measles has entered the infants department of a
school it is too late to take any effectual precautionary
measures; even temporary closure of the department or of a
class will probably only temporarily delay further extension of
the disease.
The want of success following these measures has led many
authorities to advocate the permanent exclusion from school of
children under five years of age. In the report of the Consultative
Committee of the Board of Education issued in 1908, it
was decided not to recommend any change at present in the lower
age limit, either of voluntary or compulsory attendance at
school.