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118
centage of susceptible children, there cannot be much difference
between November and February, and yet, what a
difference in results. In other words, it seems to take about
three months to work up to an outbreak. When medical
inspection is in proper working order, one will have more
certain data to go upon, and so, perhaps, obtain better
results. The exclusion of the individual child, with susceptible
contacts only, appears to work well, and has stood
the test of some years' working. No school or class was
closed during the year for this disease, and from experience,
in this district, that procedure appears to be unnecessary
and unjustifiable, except, perhaps, under exceptional circumstances.
In last year's report I gave particulars of school
closure from this disease, which was not followed by a cessation
of the spread of the disease. No doubt the closure was
too late, though it was done at, apparently, the earliest
practicable moment. The following deaths occurred at ages
as under during 1909:—
Under 1 year 2
1 to 5 years 13
WHOOPING COUGH.
In studying the table for this disease, it will be seen
that those schools which showed an incidence of Whooping
Cough in 1908, have practically escaped in 1909; the only
exception being Goodmayes, where there were 15 cases in
1908 and 26 in 1909. As a rule, in those years when Measles
is more prevalent, Whooping Cough is also more rife. 1909
was no exception to the rule, as, by looking at the tables,
it will be seen that both these diseases were more prevalent
during the past year than in the one preceding. As one
would expect, Whooping Cough was more prevalent in the
autumn than in any other part of the year. The difficulty in
dealing with this disease is great, as a child may have a