View report page

19
MEASLES.
The mean death-rate from this disease in Stoke Newington was
remarkably low (0.03 per thousand) during the above period, and
there can be no doubt that, while we are able to do but very little
indeed to reduce its prevalence, the proportion of infected children
who died from the disease has been reduced in recent years. It is
safe to conclude that this saving of child life has resulted, in part
at least, from our Maternity and Child Welfare activities, and the
extended provisions made during the past five years for nursing
services. The making of hospital beds available for some of the
worst cases in London may have contributed to the lowering of the
case mortality to a slight extent.
The fact that in good surroundings Measles is so rarely fatal
suggests that it should be possible to save most of the lives lost
from this disease. It is a comparatively trivial disease when the
sufferers can be properly provided for. It is a serious disease, more
especially from its complications and after consequences, among
the poorer people. It is with such people that nursing services and
advice can be a valuable life-saving measure. Such services in
connection with both Measles and Whooping Cough are given by our
Ranyard nurse and Tuberculosis nurse in the time which they are
able to give; but it is desirable that these services should be supplemented
by the temporary appointment of an additional nurse in
times of epidemic prevalence of these diseases.
The age of a child has an important influence on mortality—
the death-rate lessening as the age increases. Therefore there is a
great advantage in protecting very young children from attack,
even if they are to suffer a year or so afterwards. Where early
isolation is impossible, as in the homes of the poor, the only practicable
means of preventing other members of the family from catching
Measles is by a protective vaccination, and it appears probable
from recent researches that an effective vaccine will shortly