London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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London County Council 1933

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]

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55
available and where lamps had not so far been supplied. Four more lamps were
accordingly supplied for use at the residential schools and children's homes and
three for use at the children's receiving homes.
Specimens of hair stumps taken from doubtful cases have been microscopically
examined fropa time to time in the laboratory at the County Hall. Out of 89
specimens examined, ringworm fungus was found to be present in 19 (18 small spore
and 1 large spore).
A serious outbreak of cases of body ringworm occurred amongst the boys on the
T.S. "Exmouth" during the winter months of 1933-1934, necessitating the
evacuation of the ship and the transfer of the boys in January, 1934, to Hanwell
residential school which was then empty. As action in this matter is still proceeding
a review of the outbreak will be included in the Annual Report for 1934.
Active
immunisation
against
diphtheria in
the
residential
schools and
children's
homes.
The arrangements described in the Annual Reports for 1931 and 1932 in
connection with the active immunisation of the children against diphtheria were
reviewed in March, 1933, and the Education Committee decided that they should
be continued. During the year 2,115 children were tested for their susceptibility
to diphtheria after the consent of the parent or guardian had been obtained. The
test showed 741 to be susceptible. These, together with 185 cases where immunisation
was still in progress on 31st December, 1932, were brought under the
immunisation scheme and by the end of 1933, 847 had received a complete course of
inoculations. Of this number, 833 gave a negative reaction when re-tested, and
may now, for all practical purposes, be regarded as immune.
During the year the managing committees of those schools and homes (Anerley,
Erskine Lodge, Romilly Lodge and Stepney) which had not hitherto been in favour
of the immunisation of the children gave the matter further consideration in the light
of the results obtained at the other schools and homes where the process had
been in operation. As each of these managing committees expressed agreement
with the scheme, the Education Committee on 25th October, 1933, authorised the
introduction of the measure at Anerley and Stepney, and on 8th November, 1933,
at Erskine Lodge and Romilly Lodge.
Provision.
Open-air education.
Provision for education in the open air includes nine day open-air schools
(non-tuberculosis) with accommodation for 1,627 children, and six day open-air
schools (tuberculosis) accommodating 568 children. There are also seven country
and seaside convalescent camp schools, accommodating 518 children for periods
varying from one to three months, through which 4,512 children pass annually;
and 209 open-air classes in playgrounds and parks providing for upwards of 6,000
children.
An interesting and successful addition to the open-air facilities in London
was afforded by the experimental residential convalescent camp school, for children
normally attending day schools for the mentally defective, first organised in the
summer of 1931 in consequence of an offer from the Shaftesbury Society of their
school at Loughton (Epping Forest) to be used as an open-air school for ailing
mentally defective children.
In a report upon the boys' class, numbering 25 individuals, which was held during
the period 26th May to 23rd June, it was stated that there was an average increase in
weight of approximately 1 lb. 10 ozs. All the boys looked healthier, happier and
more alert on their departure—a very noticeable contrast to their appearance on
arrival. It was of interest to compare the increases of weight, which varied from
4 lbs. to 4 ozs., with the recorded characters of the boys. There was found to be a
definite relationship. The "good" appeared to flourish like the green bay tree,
while the reward of the "wicked" was dismal, as shown by these examples:—" Clean
and tidy," increase 4 lbs.; "good, cheerful and willing," increase 3 lbs. 8 ozs.;
"restless and mischievous," increase 4 ozs. ; " fretful and quarrelsome," increase
5 ozs.; "disobedient," increase 5 ozs.