Report on the recent epidemic of measles in Brighton, with a discussion of the possibility of the employment of further measures for preventing the high mortality from this disease / by Arthur Newsholme.

  • Newsholme, Arthur, Sir, 1857-1943.
Date:
[1893]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report on the recent epidemic of measles in Brighton, with a discussion of the possibility of the employment of further measures for preventing the high mortality from this disease / by Arthur Newsholme. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service. The original may be consulted at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service.

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    under more favourable conditions than can be secured in the homes of the poor would greatly reduce the mortality from this disease. During the recent epidemic there would have been no difficulty (had accommodation been available) in removing a considerable proportion of the cases, and the Guardians of the poor have expressed their anxiety that the cases of this disease coming under their care should all be removed to the Sanatorium at their cost. Their cases form a very high proportion of the total number. I do not lose sight of the fact that this implies additional accommodation at the Sanatorium. This has already received your attention, and the Borough Surveyor is preparing plans for your consideration. Before the next epidemic of Measles is due this additional accommodation will probably be ready, and I do not think, therefore, that it would be wise to postpone the inclusion of Measles in the list of notifiable diseases. To sum up: I recommend the inclusion of Measles in the list of diseases to be notified, and that all cases not properly isolated at home be treated at the Borough Sanatorium, so far as the accommodation allows of this. The notification of Measles has been a partial failure in most of the towns in which it has been adopted; but this failure has arisen, I believe, from the fact that no town has grappled with the hospital treatment of this disease. I hope that Brighton will lead the way in the hospital treatment of Measles. The experiment which I suggest is one of great value; it will, I believe, be to the benefit of Brighton. Should, however, the experience of a series of years prove, contrary to my expecta- tions, that the notification of Measles is valueless, it can after due notice be abandoned. Table I. Age Incidence of Deaths from Measles. AGE. Under 1 1 and under 2 2 3 3 „ „ 4 4 5 •5 „ „ 6 6 „ „ 7 7 „ 8 8 „ „ 9 9 „ „ 10 Age not stated 1882. NUMBER OF DEATHS. 19 86 24 24 13 3 0 0 0 1 1 *121 PER CENT. OF TOTAL DEATHS FROM MEASLES. 1892. NUMBER OF DEATHS. 26 46 27 11 0 0 0 1 0 ii: PER CENT. OF TOTAL DEATHS FROM MEASLES. 84-6 120 *The total number of deaths during 1882 was 155. The age of death was not stated on the inspection sheets in 34 cases.