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
Wandsworth 1967
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Wandsworth, Metropolitan Borough]
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99
Vision
During the year vision tests were carried out on 6,644 boys and
6,311 girls, a total of 12,955 children compared with 6,566 boys
and 6,449 girls, a total of 13,015 children in 1966. The percentage
of the number tested with and without glasses who were referred
for treatment or observation was 17.1, compared with 18.6% in
1966.
Visual acuity standards expressed as percentages of the numbers of children whose eyes were tested are set out in the following table:—
| Not wearing spectacles | Wearing spectacles | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6/6 | 6/9 | 6/12 or worse | Referred for treatment | 6/6 | 6/9 | 6/12 or worse | Referred for treatment | ||
| 1967 | Boys | 78.1 | 7.2 | 5.5 5.7 | 5.9 | 4.6 | 2.3 | 23 | 26 |
| Girls | 75.9 | 7.5 | 5.7 | 6.2 | 5.7 | 2'7 | 25 | 6'2 | |
| 1966 | Boys | 76.9 | 7.7 | 6.0 | 6.5 | 4.9 | 2.5 | 2.1 | 2.3 |
| Girls | 75.8 | 6.6 | 6.3 | 6.2 | 5.7 | 3.2 | 2.4 | 6.3 | |
| Year | Number examined | Number found verminous | Pupils found to be verminous % of number examined | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual comprehensive health surveys | 1967 | 24,223 | 178 | 0.73 |
| 1966 | 27,983 | 324 | 1.16 | |
| Additional health surveys | 1967 | 17,445 | 307 | 1.76 |
| 1966 | 17,193 | 259 | 1.51 |
During both types of survey, vermin were found on 485 occasions,
representing 1.16 per cent of the total number of examinations.
The number of individual pupils found to be verminous was 354,
or 0.78 per cent of the school roll of 45,408. On 398 occasions
the parents and/or children were advised about treatment and
in many cases were given Lorexane shampoo for home treatment.
On a further 87 occasions pupils were referred to bathing centres
for appropriate treatment.
The work done at the two bathing centres in the Borough in
connection with vermin, scabies and impetigo is shown below.
A "case" is a child discharged after a course of treatment (e.g.