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94
Measles occurs in epidemic form every two years and usually lasts for four
months. The incidence in each of the twelve months of the year was as follows:—
January 121 February 455 March 815
April 671 May 670 June 281
July 104 August 5 September 12
October 1 November — December
From these figures it will be noted that the disease first assumed epidemic
proportions in February, reached its peak in March, and fell away thereafter.
The Council's scheme for dealing with Measles epidemics was put into force in
the middle of February, two temporary health visitors being appointed for Measles
work. They investigated every reported case of Measles from whatever source it
was received: they visited cases absent from school from unknown causes and every
case of suspected Measles. The staff health visitors made subsequent visits to cases
where the children were under school age, but where they were of school age the
subsequent visits were made by the temporary health visitors.
Notices were sent to head teachers where the diagnosis of Measles was not
confirmed and where suspect cases were diagnosed as Measles.
The co-operation between the School Medical Service and the Department was
excellent, visits being paid to every home where cases of Measles or suspected Measles
were living, within 24 hours of the teacher sending the notification to the Department.
The scheme worked very well in other respects. It enabled the normal routine
work of the health visitors to be maintained with very little disturbance; it ensured
the early diagnosis of secondary cases and their exclusion from school in an infectious
state; it ensured the early provision of nursing assistance and it enabled arrangements
to be made for the early admission of cases to hospital where necessary. In every
way the Council's policy was justified.
Home Nursing.—During the year 1,615 visits were made by the nurses of the
local nursing associations to 130 homes. The cost to the Council was £80 15s. 0d.
Hospital Treatment.—The number of children admitted to fever hospitals was
226, but there is no record of the number of children admitted to general hospitals.
Deaths.—There were 25 deaths from Measles during the year, 16 of which were
in children under five years of age.
Prophylaxis and Specific Therapy.—As soon as it was evident that the disease
was assuming epidemic proportions (and there is usually plenty of warning of this
because Measles usually comes to Woolwich after it has been in epidemic form in
other parts of the Metropolis for at least two months), leaflets giving advice about the
disease were distributed through the mothers attending the welfare centres. As soon