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20
Measles.
The number of deaths from measles was 236, or 28 less than in the previous
year.
58 belonged to the Limehouse District, or at the rate of .98 per 1,000 of
the population.
58 belonged to St. George-in-the-East, or at the rate of 1.09 per 1,000 of
the population.
69 belonged to Mile End Old Town, or at the rate of .57 per 1,000 of
the population.
51 belonged to the Whitechapel District, or at the rate of .62 per 1,000 of
the population.
The death-rate for the whole Borough was .75 per 1,000 of the population,
while that for the whole of London was .48 per 1,000.
The question as to the advantage of the notification of measles was
debated by the Public Health Committee. It has been considered on several
occasions by previous Committees, but it has always been decided not to
recommend making it a notifiable disease.
The number of deaths from measles in the Borough since 1901 was
as follows: —
1901 155
1902 158
1903 162
1904 176
1905 151
1900 171
1907 155
1908 264
1909 236
As I have stated in previous reports, ignorance on the part of mothers of
the seriousness of the disease, is probably the principal factor in the high
mortality from measles. They fail to recognise the fact, that children suffering
from measles, are very liable to complications, such as broncho-pneumonia,
which is possibly the most frequent secondary cause of death. It is thought