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 1933
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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36
mouth-breathers, and it is essential for a cure of the squint that they should learn to breathe
properly ; this can only be done by reminding them every week of this bad habit. Prizes are
also given, in very bad cases of mouth-breathing, for success in curing themselves, for I do not
advise the removal of adenoids and enlarged tonsils in these cases. Any operation is liable to
give a set-back to the progress of a squint case, and should be avoided whenever possible. The
mothers are told of the evil results of mouth-breathing, and help the children at home, while
in some of the schools the teachers are most helpful in the same way.
Aural
clinics.
Mr. A. G. Wells is responsible for the oversight of the work of the school medical
service so far as it relates to the care of the ears and hearing of the school children.
The following is the substance of his report:—
There has been no change in the personnel of the staff during the year.
Statistics.
The following tables give the figures for the otorrhoea and the deaf cases treated at the special aural clinics, and returned by the divisional treatment organisers for the year:— Table I—Otorrhœa casts.
| Division. | Total no. of examinations made. | New cases. | Cases carried over from 1932. | Old cases returned. | Cases examined, but no treatment required. | Cases cured. | Lost sight of. | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patients. | Ears. | Patients. | Ears. | Patients. | Ears. | Patients. | Ears. | Patients. | Ears. | Patients. | Ears. | Patients. | Ears. | |
| N.E. | 2,724 | 3,172 | 265 | 297 | 59 | 67 | 212 | 249 | 46 | 46 | 338 | 394 | 64 | 66 |
| S.W. | 3,812 | 3,863 | 401 | 545 | 148 | 189 | 247 | 280 | 72 | 143 | 475 | 565 | 48 | 59 |
| S.E. | 4,205 | 5,010 | 340 | 419 | 161 | 195 | 246 | 292 | 31 | 56 | 534 | 646 | 51 | 62 |
| N. | 3,780 | 5,152 | 337 | 444 | 169 | 200 | 226 | 263 | 61 | 99 | 434 | 495 | 85 | 96 |
| N.W. | 2,564 | 3,240 | 227 | 298 | 109 | 131 | 120 | 136 | 29 | 46 | 258 | 311 | 37 | 50 |
| Total | 17,085 | 20,437 | 1,570 | 2,003 | 646 | 782 | 1,051 | 1,220 | 239 | 390 | 2,039 | 2,411 | 285 | 333 |
From these figures it will be seen that each child averaged five attendances.
Table II—Deaf cases.
| Division. | Total no. of examinations made. | New cases. | Cases carried over from 1932. | Old cases returned. | Cases cured. | Cases partially relieved. | Cases unrelieved. | Cases requiring no treatment. | Lost sight of | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patients. | Ears. | Patients. | Ears. | Patients. | Ears. | Patients. | Ears. | Patients. | Ears. | Patients. | Ears. | Patients. | Ears. | Patients. | Ears. | Patients. | Ears. | |
| N.E. | 91 | 158 | 24 | 44 | — | — | 3 | 5 | 14 | 24 | i | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 2 |
| S.W. | 164 | 303 | 15 | 27 | 13 | 23 | 5 | 8 | 7 | 12 | 6 | 11 | — | — | 2 | 4 | 4 | 8 |
| S.E. | 221 | 399 | 30 | 56 | 25 | 43 | 5 | 7 | 23 | 42 | 5 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 2 |
| N. | 192 | 372 | 23 | 42 | 16 | 32 | 1 | 2 | 12 | 22 | 5 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 3 | 5 |
| N.W | 270 | 491 | 28 | 52 | 8 | 16 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 18 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 12 | 20 |
| Total | 938 | 1,723 | 120 | 221 | 62 | 114 | 15 | 23 | 57 | 102 | 27 | 50 | 6 | 9 | 14 | 26 | 21 | 37 |
From these figures it will be seen that the percentage of "cases cured" was 34.5, partially
relieved 16.9, unrelieved 3, the remainder being still under treatment at the end of the year;
and that each child averaged approximately 4½ attendances.
In addition to the above, 90 cases of nasal defects were also treated.
The following table gives a detailed analysis of all the cases of otorrhœa treated, and shows
the number of acute ears, the cause of the persistence of discharge in chronic ears, the number
cured, the number requiring operation, those lost sight of, and the number still under treatment
on 31st December, 1933. This table includes the otorrhœa cases of the children from residential
schools.