London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Chelsea 1912
Annual report for 1912 of the Medical Officer of Health
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| Scarlet fever | 27 | 49 |
| Diphtheria | 27 | 58 |
| Chicken-pox | 46 | 43 |
| Eczema | 9 | - |
| Impetigo | 6 | — |
| Itch | 12 | — |
| Measles | 233 | 247 |
| Mumps | 122 | — |
| Ophthalmia | 53 | — |
| Ringworm | 53 | — |
| Whooping-cough | 122 | 109 |
| 710 | 506 |
Verminous School Children.—During the year 1912, 242 children
attending elementary schools in the Borough, were reported by the
School Medical Officer for the County of London, as being found by the
School Nurses to be in a verminous condition as regards their heads, their
bodies, or both heads and bodies. Of the total of 242 children, 198 were
reported once only in the course of the year, 27 were reported twice, 12
were reported 3 times, 2 were reported 4 times, and 3 were reported
6 times.
The homes of these children were visited by the Lady Sanitary
Inspector; altogether 493 visits were paid in connection with this work.
The following Table shows the action taken as the result of these visits:—
| No action necessary, or rooms and bedding cleansed voluntarily by the parents | 73 |
| Disinfected by the Public Health Department | 40 |
| Rooms cleansed and limewashed after service of notices on owners of houses | 30 |
| Bedding destroyed and new bedding provided by the Borough Council | 9 |
| Families removed out of Borough before any action could be taken | 12 |
| Houses demolished | 7 |
| Tenants ejected by landlords | 3 |
| Unable to obtain admission | 3 |
| Little or no improvement effected by visiting | 8 |
A considerable number of the families visited were found to be living
under conditions of extreme poverty. In these cases it is doubtful if the
children ever have their day clothing entirely removed, or ':go to bed "
at all in the ordinary meaning of the words. In such families the
mattresses and palliasses are so dilapidated and filthy, that the only
possible course is to destroy them, and, where the people, through abject
poverty, are unable to provide new bedding, for the Borough Council to
do so. This was done in nine instances. In numerous other cases the
old ticking was taken out and washed by the mother, or new was bought
and the bedding remade in this way. In these very poor homes blankets
and sheets are unknown luxuries, and consequently the operation of
undressing for bed is not done either by children or adults. In eases a
little above the stage of abject poverty, blankets and sheets may be in