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34
The second graph, on page 35, shows the fluctuation in
incidence month by month during 1952, and the slight but shortlived
rise in August, followed a month later by the steep rise to the
peak incidence of 787 cases during the month of December. It will
be seen that there has been a welcome decrease in the number of
cases notified during January (1953).
The following figures show the relevant information, month by
month, since the outbreak began to assume epidemic proportions
last September.

The total number of cases notified during the year reached the
record figure of 1,630. The previous year of record incidence was
1936, when 1,556 cases were notified.
In spite of the large number of young children who have
suffered from measles during the recent epidemic, it is encouraging
to be able to report that no child died of measles in Leyton.
By way of comparison I submit these figures showing the annual
number of deaths from measles of Leyton children in each of the
first biennial epidemics of measles following my appointment as
Medical Officer of Health.
Year: 1928 1930 1932 1934 1936
Deaths: 17 26 28 13 23
As these deaths occurred during years of much less incidence
than the year now under review, they provide very strong evidence
that measles is gradually losing one of its principal dangers—that of
a killing disease—and is becoming less severe in type as the years
go by.