Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Holborn Borough]
This page requires JavaScript
49
Particulars of cases of acute rheumatism in children are recorded in a register
under the following main headings:—Name; Classification and Symptoms;
Tonsils, Adenoids and Teeth; Treatment; Home Conditions; Sleeping Conditions;
Hours of Sleep; Clothing; Food; Assistance Required; Family History; and Health
of Contacts.
The Holborn children attend Rheumatism Supervisory Clinics at the Hospital
for Sick Children, Great Ormond Street, and at the Royal Free Hospital.
Enquiries in Notified Cases of Rheumatism.
Enquiries into the housing conditions of the notified cases showed that 59 lived in
satisfactory artisan self-contained flats; 25 lived in satisfactory artisan homes in divided
houses of a comfortable type (a better class of house let in lodgings); 43 lived in houses let
in lodgings; 8 lived in artisan dwellings of an old type, not self-contained-, but superior to
ordinary houses let in lodgings; and two were not traced as a result of incorrect addresses.
It is somewhat curious to note the incidence of acute rheumatism in satisfactory homes.
Dampness in Houses.
Dampness was found in only four houses, due to temporary nuisances which were
remedied.
Lighting and Ventilation.
Three children lived in a semi-basement flat, and although the lighting was not good, the
flat was well built and the street and courtyard adjoining fairly wide, so that lighting and
ventilation compared not unfavourably with upper floors in narrow streets and small courtyards.
In eight other cases the lighting was unsatisfactory.
Most of the remaining homes were well ventilated and the lighting good; in no case was
ventilation or lighting markedly unsatisfactory.
No. of Rheumatic Chil-dren | Separate Room | Separate Bed in Living Room | Separate Bed in Room shared with | Bed shared with | Bed shared in living room with | |||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Adults | Children | Adults and Children | Adults | Children | Adults and Children | Children | Adults and Children | |||||||||||||||||
1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | ||||
127 | 12 | 10 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 15 | s | 0 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | |
127 | 12 | 10 | 49 | 52 | 4 |
* Exclusive of two cases where wrong addresses given, one where the patient died shortly
after the date of notification, and seven where the child removed immediately after
notification.
D