CHRIST’S COLLEGE CLOSED

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27213, 3 December 1953, Page 10

CHRIST’S COLLEGE CLOSED

“Serious Epidemic” Among Pupils

SORE THROAT AND GERMAN MEASLES Because of a serious epidemic of streptococcal sore throat and german measles among the pupils’. Christ’s College was closed yesterday, a week before the Christmas holidays were due to begin. The Health Department had been notified of 50 cases of streptococcal sore throat among boarders who are in isolation at the college. There are a number of day boys also suffering from the same complaint, but the Medical Officer of Health (Dr. D. P. Kennedy) said that the department had no knowledge of these as it had received no notification from doctors.

“There is a serious epidemic of streptococcal sore throat and german measles in the school,” says the headmaster (Mr H. R. Hornsby) in a circular sent to parents yesterday. “The school has therefore been closed in the interests of everyone. If your boy becomes ill during the next few days, I suggest you contact your own doctor at once. It is regretted that we have to take this step. Boys who are ill in bed here will be sent home when they are declared fit and not before.” Dr. Kennedy said that the closing of the school had not been done at the request of the Health Department, but was an administrative action by the school authorities. He had been notified of 50 cases of streptococcal sore throat among boarders, who were isolated in hospital facilities at the school. Apparently a number of day boys were also suffering from streptococcal sore throat. “The department has no knowledge of these as it has received no notifications from medical practitioners to this effect,” said Dr. Kennedy. “It would appear that in spite of our appeals a large number of cases of streptococcal sore throat or scarlet fever in Christchurch are being treated at home without being notified to the department, which is obviously then in a hopeless position so far as enforcement of any control measures (as provided for in the regulations) are concerned.”

Dr. Kennedy said that german measles was not a notifiable disease. The patient was in an infectious state before diagnosis could be established, so that no isolation or quarantine measures were of any value. Providing outbreaks were in girls’ secondary schools, they were really of very great value as they gave the girls an immunity, german measles being a dangerous infection in later life in the early stages of pregnancy. It was being established these days that many congenital defects in children were consequent on german measles infection of the mother in early pregnancy.