Mexborough Medical Officer’s Report — An Explanation

At a meeting of the sanitary authority, the Medical Officer stated that he wished to make a personal explanation regarding a report that had circulated about measles deaths at Denaby. He explained that it had been reported to the Board that seven children were lying dead at Denaby, but he now clarified that this statement was incorrect.

He then read a letter from Dr. Hills, who admitted responsibility for the error and stated that Dr. Sykes was not to blame. Dr. Hills explained that when he had last visited Denaby there were a number of children suffering from measles, and one or two had died. However, later that evening he was told that four or five more had died. Believing the report and knowing that several cases were serious, he repeated the information when he next met the Medical Officer. He later realised that the report had been exaggerated and acknowledged that the mistake had arisen from repeating what had essentially been a rumour.

The Medical Officer remarked that the situation at Denaby was improving and that conditions regarding measles were now better.

The chairman and several members expressed approval, after which the Medical Officer presented his report for the month of February. It showed that there had been six deaths during the month—four males and two females—which represented a rate of 12 per 1,000 per annum. Over the previous five years the average number of deaths in February had been 12.6, meaning that the recent figure was only about half the usual number.

He further reported that there had been no cases of zymotic disease and only one case of measles, which was believed to have originated in Swinton. During the month there had been 19 births, consisting of 13 males and six females, giving a birth rate of 38 per 1,000 per annum.