[Report 1907] / Medical Officer of Health, North Riding of Yorkshire County Council.

  • North Riding of Yorkshire (England). County Council.
Date:
1907
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1907] / Medical Officer of Health, North Riding of Yorkshire County Council. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Measles were reported from 29 Districts, the number of deaths being 118, giving a death rate 0-44 per thousand. A few cases occurred at Constable Burton in the Leyburn District, and two deaths at Whitby. Four deaths in the Guisborough Rural District, schools at Lazenby, Easington, Yearby, and Westerdale closed, three at Guisborough, Northgate Infant and Providence Infant schools closed, four in the Loftus District, schools at Loftus, Liverton Mines, and Skinningrove closed, one at Redcar, Zetland and Ex-Wesleyan schools closed, and eight in the Skelton and Brotton District, Lingdale school closed. Writing on school closure for Measles Dr. Stainthorpe says, “ As a means of preventing the spread of Measles school- “ closure is of doubtful utility. In debating whether or not to recommend school-closure “ other points demand consideration. During an epidemic it is certain that the disease “ will be introduced into elementary schools in the affected district by children suffering “ from it in its early stages. So long as a school remains open children are compelled to “ attend and are thus brought into contact with infected children in an infected place. “ Again, owing to the great pressure brought to bear on head teachers and attendance “ officers by local education authorities to enforce attendance for the purpose of main- “ taining and improving the “ average attendance grant,” children recovering from “ Measles sometimes return to school before they are in a fit condition to do so with safety “ to themselves and their fellow scholars.Were the regulations of the Board of “ Education so altered as to permit of the grant being based upon the average attendance “ of children over a certain age, say seven, or in the standards corresponding to that age, “ as distinct and separate from those under that age, or in the lower standards, the disad¬ vantages attending the closure of a school would be materially reduced.” Prevalent early in the year in the Scalby District, schools closed, one death. One death in the Malton Rural District, and one at Malton, Old Malton school closed. A few cases in the Masham District, one death in the Middlesbrough Rural District, and prevalent at North¬ allerton. Epidemic in the Eston District from the beginning of June till the end of September, seventeen deaths, about one hundred cases occurred at South Bank, seven hundred at Grangetown, schools closed two months, and ninety-three at Eston. Dr. Fulton writes, “ The question as to the desirability of applying the ordinary machinery “of preventive methods was duly considered, viz.:—Notification, Disinfection, Isolation, “etc., Notification is costly, Disinfection and Isolation prohibitive, school closure in an “Urban district is a farce. This is well shown at Grangetown during this epidemic (700 “ cases and 12 deaths). Many deaths occur from neglect, but it is usually the weaklings “ that die. All I can advise is better nursing at home, the child kept in bed, and greater “ hygienic care of the patient. Insanitary surroundings increase the fatality, but do not “increase the liability to attack.” Prevalent at Lockton, school closed, Newton, school closed, and a few cases at Ebberston in the Pickering Rural District. One hundred and sixty-two cases in the Thirsk District, four deaths, schools closed at Felixkirk, Boltby, South Kilvington. Sutton, and Thirkleby, Dr. Buchanan writes, “ The closing of the “ schools helped to prevent the further spread of the disease.” Prevalent at Croft in the Croft District, school closed. Epidemic in Ormesby during March, April, May, and June, seventeen deaths, Dr. Jackson writes, “In a district like North Ormesby where the con- “ ditions are so favourable for the spread of the infection in and about the homes, school “ closure is not likely to do much good. During and since the epidemic of 1904, I have “made enquiry at a number of houses and found that in the majority of instances the “ child to be first taken ill with Measles was one under school age, thus proving that “ home infection is the main factor in the spread of the disease.” Twenty-seven deaths at Thornaby-on-Tees, and seventeen in the South Bank in Normanby District, Dr. Glen writes, “ The epidemic of Measles that occurred in the middle of the year was a very “ severe one, a very large number of children being laid up with the disease. The “ question as to closing the schools with a view of possibly checking its spread was “ considered, but it was thought better to let them remain open.” Prevalent at Start- forth and Mickleton in the Startforth District, and in the Bedale District. A few cases in the Hinderwell District, and one death in the Whitby Rural. Epidemic at Nunnington, Kirbymoorside, Rudland, and Nawton in the Kirbymoorside District, schools closed, one death. Two deaths in the Stokesley District, schools at Ivirkby, Broughton, Stokesley, and Hutton closed, three in the Scarborough. Rural District, and one in the Richmond District, schools closed at Marske, Downholme, Bolton-on-Swale, Catterick, and Hipswell. Whooping Cough was reported from 28 Districts, the number of deaths being 39, giving a death rate of 0-14 per thousand. A few cases occurred at Redmire in the Leyburn District, two deaths at Whitby, two in the Guisborough Rural District, Lazenby Infant School closed, two in the Loftus District, Loftus Infant School closed, and five in the Skelton and Brotton District. Prevalent in the Scalby District, one death at Malton, and one in the North¬ allerton Rural District. Prevalent at Cundall and Norton-le-Clay in the Wath District, Cundall school closed. One death in the Oswaldkirk Division of the Helmsley District, three at Northallerton, two being in one family, one in the Pickering Rural District, and one in the Pickering Urban District. Twenty-eight cases in the Thirsk District, schools closed at Kirby Wiske, Newby Wiske, and South Otterington, no deaths. Five deaths at Ormesby, three at Thornaby-on-Tees, and prevalent in the South Bank in Normanby District, no deaths. Prevalent at Scargill in the Startforth District, and cases in the Bedale District. Epidemic at Kirbymoorside, Ness, and Nunnington in the Kirbymoorside District, five deaths. One death in the Aysgarth District, school at Hawes closed, two in the Stokesley District, schools at Kirkby and Broughton closed, three in the Scarborough Rural District, and one in the Richmond District.