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39
"In any case, the services of another woman officer will be required
in the Public Health Department. She should preferably be a three years'
trained nurse, who has obtained a Sanitary Inspector's Certificate."
I offered to provide a motor car on terms very advantageous to the
Council, but my offer was not entertained, so I have been unable to take
the active part in this work which the Government require Medical Officers
of Health to do. But the Council, on January 25th, endorsed my recommendation
that our representatives should ask the Joint Hospital Board
whether some beds (say half-a-dozen) could not be allocated to Edmonton
for critical cases, or cases in bad homes, who might, therefore, be recommended
by me for admission. The Hospital Board on February 29th declared that
" it would not be desirable to receive such cases."
In January, 1916, I also stated that:—"Notification is productive of
much more good if provision can be made for isolation of the worst cases.
It is the sickness-rate, and not the death-rate, from measles, which is the
real criterion of the extent of the Counoil's responsibility under the regulations;
and as regards death-rate, the average death-rate from measles for
the past ten years was 0.320, as compared with 0.116 from scarlet fever, and
0.200 from diphtheria, per 1,000 inhabitants."
"The actual number of deaths was:—Scarlet fever, 53; diphtheria, 129;
and measles 203, for the years 1905-14."
THE MEASLES EPIDEMIC.
There were 29 deaths, compared with 26, 12 and 48, in 1915-14-13. This
number is equal to a death-rate of 041 per 1,000 living, compared with
0.37 last year.
Three occurred in the first age period (under one year), 12 in the second
age (one and under two years), 12 in the third age (two and under five years),
and two over five years of age. There were no deaths amongst the Belgian
children.
I received notifications about 1,238 oases—1,171 being defined as
English and 67 as Rubella (formerly "German measles"). Of these, 1,152
English and 66 Rubella were amongst residents; one each was notified amongst
strangers at the Infirmary, and 18 English amongst the Belgians. The
attack-rate was therefore 17.06 for every 1,000 inhabitants. Forty-three were
doubly notified by doctor and parent, and one by two doctors.
For incidence on the various age periods, see Table II. at end of this
Report. There were also five military cases.