Dr. Theodore Thomson's report to the Local Government Board on epidemic measles in the borough of Lancaster.
- Thomson, Theodore
- Date:
- 1898
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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![o ensued rapid increase of the disease, wliich attained its greatest height in the month of February. Early in March the epidemic l)egan to wane : the number (^f known cases decreasing at first ra})idly, afterwards more slowly, so that, when I visited Lancaster in July, measles had for some time ceased to be regarded as epidemic, although the district was not even then free from the disease. The total number of deaths in Lancaster referred to measles between December 5th, 1896, and July 15th, 1897, was 51. Action of tfie Town C'ouncil. 1. Measures adoi:>ted icith a view to obtainimj inforniation as regards occurrence of Measles in their district. (u.) Compulsorij Nozif cation.—In 1888 measles became compulsorily notifiable in Lancaster by virtue of a provision of the Lancaster Corporation Act, 1880, in which it is enacted that due notice shall be given to the Corporation of persons within the borough suffering from any infectious disease : while “ infectious disease ” is defined as meaning certain diseases specified in the Act, and also “ such other diseases as tlie Corporation.may from time to time declare to be infectious or contagions.” In 1888, the Corporation jiassed a resolution that measles be declared an infectious disease for a period of three years : and an order made by the Corporation to this effect received the Board’s approval, as required by the terms of the Act. In March, 1892, this order was, with the Board’s consent, renewed for a further period of three years ; but was not renewed in 1895 or subsequently. Consequently measles has not been compulsorily notifiable in Lancaster since March, 1895. ISTevertheless the disease has continued to be notified in Lancaster. Notification, under the local Act referred to, is dual. Medical practitioners notifying cases of infectious disease in accordance with the provisions of the Act receive two shillings and sixpence for every certificate : with, however, this reservation, that “ only one fee shall become payable within an interval of thirty days to the same medical practitioner for certificates given by him in respect of the same disease occurring in the same building.” With a viey^ to securing notification by the householder in those instances where no medical practitioner was in attendance, the Sanitary Authority caused liandbills, settino’ forth the duties and liabilities of the householder in this reo’ard, to be distributed from house to house throuo’hout the borou^’h in January, 1897. This distribution was effected tlirough the agency of the local ])olice. It is the opinion of the Medical Officer of Health anti of the Inspector of Nuisances that few cases occurring in the borough failed to be notified, whether by the medical attendant or by the householder. Certain data in support of this opinion will, along with my comments thereon, be found in au Appendix to this rejiort. {b.) Information from the School Authorities.—For some four or five years past an arrangement has obtained between the School Attendance Officer and the Inspector of Nuisances, whereby the former reports to the latter official the names and addresses of all children absent from school by reason of illness regarded by the School Attendance Officer as likely to be infectious sickness, as for instance measles. (c.) Information from other sources.—During the past three or four years it has been the custom for the Officer of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, in Lancaster, to inform the Inspector of Nuisances of the existence of cases of sickness regarded by him as probably of an infectious nature. The information obtained in one or other of the three foregoing ways has, the Inspector of Nuisances informs me, been supplemented, in regard of each invaded dwelling, and as a result of personal inquiry by himself, by facts as to source of infection ; and now and again he has made house to house visitation in the invaded neighbourhood with a view to detection of other attacks ’which had gone unrecorded. A 2 H534—37.5—Wt 10707 D & S 1!)](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b30557033_0003.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
