Dr. Theodore Thomson's report to the Local Government Board on epidemic measles in the borough of Lancaster.

  • Thomson, Theodore.
Date:
1898
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Dr. Theodore Thomson's report to the Local Government Board on epidemic measles in the borough of Lancaster. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    APPENDIX A. Notification of Measles in the Borough of Lancaster. As stated in the body of this Report measles became compulsorily notifiable in the Borough of Lancaster in 1888 : and, although this procedure ceased to be compulsory early in 1895, yet measles has continued to be notified to the Corporation as before. As already noted, the number of cases of the disease which came to the knowledge of the Authority in the recent epidemic, between December 5th 1896 and July 15th 1897, amounted to 1,185. The sources of this knowledge are shown in the following figures :— Cases reported by medical attendants only ... Do. do. parents only Do. do. both parents and doctors Do. discovered otherwise 672 461 49 3 Total ... 1,185 These figures are of interest by reason of the considerable number of instances in which notification was received from the householder: these amounting to 510 out of 1,185, or 4.3 per cent, of the total. It has been matter of frequent comment on “ dual ” notification that the duality is apt to be something of a fiction : the householder failing usually to discharge the duty incumbent upon him to inform the Sanitary Authority of the existence of infectious disease in his dwelling. This failure on the part of the householder has not usually been regarded as of material consequence in respect of diseases for which medical attendance is wont to be deemed a necessity ; inasmuch as the Authority receive the requisite information from the medical attendant. But, in regard of measles, which is thought by many persons not to call for medical treatment, notification by the householder becomes, by reason of this condition, of considerable importance. And this failure by the house¬ holder to notify existence of infectious disease in his dwelling has frequently led, in respect of measles, to ignorance, on the part of Sanitary Authorities, of so many cases of the disease in districts invaded by it, as to give rise to question of the value of eompulsory notification as a source of information of its existence. In Lancaster, however, as indicated by the foregoing figures, notification bj^ the householder was, in the recent epidemic, of considerable amount: and, as already stated in the body of this Report, the local health staff believe that, during that epidemic, but few cases of measles failed to be notified to the Authority, whether by the medical attendant or by the householder. It is possible that the considerable proportion of cases notified by the householder is referable to the distribution from house to house throughout the borough by members of the local police force, early in January of the present year, and in the early stages of the epidemic, of the following notice :— BOROUGH OF LANCASTER. 3 o o QQ rH CZ o 5 OJ ... o _ DQ 0 -2q OJ Pl'zi CD 0 CD INFECTIOUS DISEASES. Notice is Hereby Given that in accordance with the Lancaster Corporation Act, 1880 : 1. Any person having the management or control of any building in which a CASE OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE occurs, or the person in charge of such case shall, so soon as he shall become aware of the existence of such disease, FORTHWITH GIVE NOTICE THEREOF to the Inspector of Nuisances at his office in the Market Hall. 2. The following are Infectious Diseases within the meaning of the above Act: Small pox Cholera Diphtheria Typhus Fever Enteric or Typhoid Fever Relapsing Fever Puerperal Fever Scarlet Fever Measles Rotheln 3. Any person offending against the above Enactment shall for every such offence be liable to a PENALTY not exceeding FIVE POENDS. W. 0. ROPER, Town Clerk.