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26
teacher did not learn of them or neglected to notify. In the
five remaining classes, in one a Saturday and Sunday intervened
between the last attendance and the rash, and in others there
may have been a mistaken diagnosis. At any rate in from
two-thirds to three-fourths of the classes closed the closure was
justified by the occurrence of further cases after the expected
incubation. The second question can be answered still more
satisfactorily, for in all, but one class the closure had the effect
of preventing the occurrence of Measles in the class after return
to school.
In the one exception there was probably default of the
parents or neglect of the teacher in allowing children to attend
school from infected houses before the incubation had expired.
40. "571 cases of Measles were notified from schools in
the whole Borough, 235 being in Woolwich Parish and the
Herbert and Burrage Wards, where closure was not enforced,
157 in the rest of Plumstead (St. Margaret's, Glyndon, Central,
and St. Nicholas), and 179 in Eltham.
"Closure must therefore be said to have failed in staying the
spread of the disease in Eltham; its spread appears to have
been largely independent of the schools. Unfortunately it
gained headway in a private school, from which no notifications
were received and had spread widely before I knew of its
existence.
"In Plumstead, however, I consider that but for closure
there would have been very much more Measles.
41. "It must not be overlooked that in schools where closure
was not enforced, the teachers were specially warned when
Measles appeared in the neighbourhood, and advised as to
looking out for and excluding suspected cases. I am aware