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
London County Council 1905
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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For comparison, the next table is given. It consists of the pupil teachers sent up for examination
in the same period—
Table II. Pupil Teachers.
| Age. | Sent up for examination. | Fit. | Unfit- | Vision. | Dentist. | Throat. | Heart. | Ears. | Dirt. | Miscellaneous. | Rejected | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vaccinated. | Not Vaccinated. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| B. | g. | b. | g. | b. | g. | b. | g. | b | g. | b. | g | b. | g. | b. | g. | b. | g. | b | g. | |||
| 15 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||
| 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||
| 16 | 36 | 1 | 12 | 3 | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | ||||||||||||
| 149 | 5 | 26 | 2 | — | 1 | — | 1 | 3 | 3 | |||||||||||||
| 17 | 6 | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||
| 39 | 1 | 9 | 6 | — | 1 | — | — | 3 | 1 | |||||||||||||
| 18 | 2 | — | 1 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||
| 13 | — | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | |||||||||||||
| 19 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | _ | ||||||||||||
| 13 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||
| 20 and | 4 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||
| over | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||
| Boys | 51 | 2 | 16 | 6 | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | ||||||||||||
| Girls | 226 | 6 | 38 | 10 | — | 2 | — | 1 | 9 | 4 | ||||||||||||
| Grand Totals | 373 | 277 | 8 | 54 | 16 | — | 2 | — | 1 | 11 | 4 | |||||||||||
The result of the examination of candidates for scholarships to the cripple, blind and deaf was—
Table III.
| Age. | Passed. | Rejected. | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cripple. | Blind. | Deaf. | Cripple. | Blind. | Deaf. | |||||||
| B. | G. | B. | G. | B. | G. | B. | G. | B. | G. | B. | G. | |
| 14 | — | — | —. | — | — | — | ||||||
| 1 | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||
| 15 | — | 1 | — | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| 16 | — | 4 | 1 | — | — | — | ||||||
| 2 | 1* | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | |||||||
| Totals | 4 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||
* Unvaccinated.
Fit candidates (vaccinated and unvaccinated).—Of the 3,728 scholarship candidates actually
examined, 2,714 (70.3 per cent.) were passed as fit, but of these 149 (4.2 per cent, of the total) were
unsatisfactory as regards vaccination.
Candidates referred back.—Of the 908 (24.4 per cent.) scholarship candidates referred back on
account of unsatisfactory conditions, most of them at once took steps to obtain relief, and thus the
examination was the means of a considerable improvement in the conditions among this class. The
following were the chief causes of reference :—
Vision.—415 (11.1 per cent. of all) failed to obtain good vision (6/9 was accepted as a sufficient
standard), but in all cases included here sufficient improvement was obtained from treatment or glasses
to allow them to pass. Several cases who had only one useful eye were passed, as, except for a few
occupations, good vision with one eye is sufficient for the purposes of life.
In future, it would be advisable to ask for good vision (V—6/9 at least), if necessary wearing glasses,
and not to accept any child requiring glasses beyond—6 d sph., or presenting astigmatism requiring
cylinders higher than 3 dioptres, as such cases are unfitted for a studious life.
Teeth.—In 153 cases (4.3 per cent. of all) seen the teeth were so bad that the scholars were
required to see the dentist before being accepted, and many others were advised as to the necessity
for dental care.
Throat.—The conditions of enlarged tonsils or adenoids were so obvious in 116 cases (3-l per
cent, of all) that they were referred until reheved.
Heart.—During rapid growth functional disturbance of the heart is very common, and conditions
of irregular or rapid heart and of functional valvular disturbance were referred in 33 cases, but the
candidates were ultimately passed.