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47
From this different incidence of attack and of death, it results
that the fatality from Measles is very much higher in the second
year of life than in any of the succeeding years. Children in the
second year of life .although less susceptible to attack, are much
more likely to die if attacked than any other children. Unquestionably,
much is gained by guarding young children between one
and four years of age from exposure, for it is at this period of
life that most fatalities occur. It is partly for this reason that
school attendance before five is generally deprecated by medical
officers.
In former years, Measles was introduced into a house by one
of the younger school children. A child attending an infants
department would suffer from Measles and infect the younger
children in the house.
The lowered birth-rate has altered the age incidence of the
population. At the present time the number of families in which
there is a younger child at home as well as one in attendance in
an infants department is considerably less than it formerly was,
and this may partly account for the lowered mortality. Every,
attempt is made to prevent children under 5 years of age froul
coming in contact with Measles, but possibly the last word in
Measles management will be immunization.
The most successful method-of preventing Measles known at
present is to inject 5 to 10 c.c. of serum from a person convalescing
from the disease into the exposed child as soon after exposure as
possible. The blood serum of a convalescent contains substances
which make him immune to the infection, and by transferrins
some of it to a susceptible person, the latter is also rendered tend
porarily immune. This is what is called temporary or passive |
immunity.
Attempts at active immunization, as with vaccines, are stil
in the experimental stage. The disadvantage of the methods usee
is that they are temporary only. Sail, in the case of young childrei
exposed to measles infection, under certain conditions a temporar
immunity is of great value.
At present the method cannot be made generally applicable
but it will be useful in individual cases, arid also where Measles
has made its appearance in an institution or hospital.