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131
Visits were paid by the Health Visitors to the homes of the
measles cases with a view to ensuring that the children were
receiving proper care and attention. The nurses of the Hackney
District Nursing Association paid 1,622 visits to 140 patients.
The number of cases removed to hospital was 387, compared
with 148 in 1937 and 524 in 1936.
Six deaths from measles occurred in 1938, as compared with
two in 1937 and 45 in 1936. The mortality rate per 1,000 inhabitants
in 1938 was, therefore, 0.029, the rate for London being 0.06.
There were 202 cases of whooping cough notified during October,
November and December. Two of the patients notified were found,
after admission to hospital, not to be suffering from an infectious
disease.
Information was also received from the head teachers of
elementary schools in Hackney of 278 cases occurring among school
children during the year, whilst 87 cases came to the knowledge of
the Department from other sources.
Measles Serum.
On 3rd March, 1938, the Public Health Committee decided
that the medical practitioners in the Borough should be asked
whether they would be willing to use measles serum, and as the
expected epidemic of measles reached the Borough during that
month arrangements were made with the Medical Officer of Health
of the London County Council for supplies of adult serum, and
this material was made available for use by local practitioners
without delay.
Serum was used by 27 medical practitioners out of a total of
93 who received details of the scheme, and is a fairly encouraging
response in view of the fact that this method of combating epidemics
of measles in general practice has had very little trial.
The number of patients injected with serum was 134. Protection
from the infection to which the children had been exposed
was secured in 66 cases, 60 children suffered an attenuated attack
giving the same measure of protection from future illness as would
a severe attack, and the remaining 8 children had an unmodified
attack of measles. The use of serum was, therefore, successful in
securing protection or attenuation in 93.7 per cent. of the patients
injected, a highly satisfactory result.
Influenza.— During 1938 there were 14 deaths in the Borough
from this disease.