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become involved, but the disease then subsided. A few cases,
however, were reported in other parts of Mitcham as early
as February, and the number of fresh cases increased gradually
but very irregularly until the middle of May, when there
was a distinct lull until the end of June. A considerable
increase took place early in July, however, and in the second
week the epidemic proper commenced, was at its height in the
last week of that month, and gradually declined during August,
after which it rapidly subsided, and soon came to an end.
Practically all the Elementary Schools were involved in this
epidemic, and they were all closed from July 16th to September
8th, and the Sunday Schools, with few exceptions, were closed a
week later. During the year 626 cases were known to have
occurred in this parish in 347 houses.
The mortality from measles in Mitcham was very different
from that in Merton, for 16 deaths occurred ; this number being
in the proportion of 1.35 per 1,000 of the estimated population.
The fatality of the disease, that is, the ratio of deaths to the
number of known cases, was a little over l½ per cent. of all
those attacked, but of those who were under 2 years of age at
the date of attack nearly 83/4 per cent. died, and of those between
2 and 4 years of age over 3½ per cent. died. There was only one
death among the 373 persons over 4 years of age who were
attacked. During the first six months of the year there was
only one death among 175 known cases, while there were 15
deaths amongst 451 cases in the latter half of the year, or 31/3 per
cent.; and it may be stated generally, that as the epidemic
subsided, the fatality increased, showing that the disease tended
progressively towards a more malignant type.
At the Holborn Schools the fatality was very high, for of
the 37 cases which occurred there at the commencement of the
year, 6, or 16 per cent., proved fatal. With one exception the
ages of the latter were under 3 years.
In Beddington measles first showed itself at the end of
January, and was prevalent, scarcely, however, in epidemic