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35. A special report on Measles and the results of EarlySchool
Closure will be found in an Appendix. There is given a
table shewing the remarkable diminution in the measles deathrate
in recent years, and the probable cause stated. If the deathrate
prevailing in the Borough from 1896-1900 had continued
during 1906, 81 children would have died from measles instead
of 31—there was thus a saving of 50 lives.
35a. Measles cases are not received into the Hospitals of the
Metropolitan Asylums Board. It has been proposed that hospital
provision should be made for such cases as cannot be satisfactorily
nursed in their own homes. Your Medical Officer of Health
reported with respect to this suggestion that though theoretically
desirable, it was not likely that much use would be made of any
accommodation that was provided in the absence of any means of
compelling isolation. What is much more practicable and feasible
is that measles cases should be nursed in their own homes. This
could easily be undertaken by the District Nursing Association if
their staff was sufficient, but on being applied to, the Committee
of the Association replied that with their present staff they were
unable to attempt more work. Many lives would doubtless be
saved if all cases of measles which were seriously ill could have
skilled nursing, but the Borough Council has power neither to
provide such nursing nor even to contribute to the Nursing
Association and help them to provide it.
Formerly, when a case of measles occurred in a family, all
children attending school from the house were excluded for two
weeks. The London County Council has made a new regulation
that children attending the senior boys' and girls' departments
need not be excluded if they have already had measles. Only
infants and older children who have not had measles will in future
be excluded. This is a wise alteration which will obviate much
useless interference with school attendance.