View report page

8
A severe epidemic of Measles occurred among the scholars
of the Haydon's Road Schools in November, and on my recommendation
the schools were closed for a limited period, followed
by the Christmas holidays. On the opening of the schools in
January this year it was evident that the disease had greatly
subsided, but while it continued in November and December,
the whole of the 16 deaths registered occurred, and no deaths
occurred in any other month of the year from Measles. The
deaths were divided among the age periods as follows: 0—1
year, one death; 1—5 years, thirteen deaths; 5—15 years, two
deaths.
The following is an extract from my Annual Report for
1892, to which I also called attention in my report for last
year:—
"As Measles is one of the most infectious of diseases, and
causes as great a mortality as any of those notifiable, I think it
would be advisable for the Local Board to avail themselves of
the provisions under the Infectious Diseases Notification Act,
and make an order to include Measles among the diseases
already notifiable in the district. With our present Hospital
accommodation Isolation would of course be out of the question,
but the masters and mistresses of schools might be informed
of any cases occurring among their scholars, or among the
inmates of houses from which their scholars attend, with a view
to preventing children attending from such houses until a
certificate be produced from a medical man stating that the
premises are free from infection. It would be a good plan to
give this a trial for a specified time, and if it were found to be
of no use, the order could be revoked."
Erysipelas.
Forty-four cases of Erysipelas were notified, and two
deaths were attributed to this disease. It is hard to see what
advantage results from the requirement of notification of these
cases. I think if Erysipelas was struck off the list of notifiable
diseases, and Measles substituted, the advantage would soon
become apparent.