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96
days of December, or the early days of January, i.e., during the
school holidays. They were instances of home infection and were
possibly infected by one of the 3 cases previously mentioned.
Although the case was not traced, it appears probable that a mild
unrecognised case occurred in the school during the week ending
December 19th, and that the 3 cases which occurred in the holidays
were the first crop. The first crop thus falling during the vacation,
it was hoped that the second crop would not be a heavy one, and
that an epidemic would be postponed for a few months.
Other cases however were reported in Rothschild Infants
department, and in the week ending January 23rd, several cases
occurred in Beaumont Park Infants department. During the Spring
Term the outbreak spread to other schools, and before the end of
the Summer all the schools had been attacked.
Whooping Cough was also prevalent during the year, but
its greatest incidence was a little later than that of Measles. The
serious aspect of the disease is still under-rated by the public, and
very little attention has been paid to the disease in the field of
public health.
At ages 0-5 years, Whooping Cough took fifth place during
the decade 1921-30 in the list of causes of mortality. More school
time is lost through Whooping Cough than through Measles, but
more important than this, is the toll of impaired physique and the
cardiac damage which cannot even be estimated. A question of
educational interest is the possibility of psychological trauma in
severe cases to which attention has recently been drawn. It is
possible that the incessant terrifying paroxysms with their sense of
impending suffocation may have a lasting effect upon the child.
Diphtheria,
In the Annual Health Report will be found an. account of
the outbreak of Diphtheria which occurred in the Autumn of the
year. It is now recognised that Diphtheria is a disease which is
largely associated with school life.
The usual swabbing of contacts and isolation of the patients
was followed, but it was decided to offer immunisation to all those
who desired to avail themselves of this method of protection.