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
Croydon 1920
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Croydon]
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99
Average Heights and Weights.
The following table gives the averages of the children examined at
three age periods in ten of the schools in Croydon :—-
Average Heights and Weights.
The following table gives the averages of the children examined at three age periods in ten of the schools in Croy don:-
| Age. | Average Height in Inches. | Average Weight in Poin ds. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boys. | Girls. | Boys. | Girls. | |
| 5 | 42.5 | 42.1 | 40.5 | 39.0 |
| 8 | 48.4 | 47.6 | 51.1 | 5.7 |
| 5.3 | 57.9 | 77.2 | 86.3 | |
Malnutrition amongst school children is increasing. Whilst in
the previous year 137 (2.3 per cent.) came under observation on this
account slightly more than twice as many (351, or 5.2 per cent.) were
observed during this year.
In spite of the fact that nourishing food has become more
plentiful it is not unlikely that the conditions of unemployment have
in many cases deprived families, and particularly the larger families, of
adequate and sufficient nourishment. A not uncommon diet is one
which consists of white bread and margarine varied with a small
portion of meat once or twice weekly. Such a diet is known to be
insufficient for the needs of the growing child.
In addition to insufficient and non-nourishing food there are other
causes of mal-nourishment, the result of disease, such, for example, as
enlarged tonsils, adenoids, carious teeth, early tuberculosis, intestinal
worms, whooping cough and measles.
Much is being done for such children by early and adequate
treatment at the Throat and Dental Clinics and the Tuberculosis
Dispensary and by the provision of milk for the convalescent and
insufficiently nourished child.
The provision of open-air schools will go a great way to help these
children, and until such schools materialise the opportunity should be
taken of establishing open-air classes in the school playgrounds and
recreation grounds with which the Borough is well equipped.
Vision and External Eye Disease.
739 Children had defective vision and 202 were found to be
suffering from some form of external eye disease, such as squint, ulcers
and inflamed eyelids. Where necessary the children were treated by the
Ophthalmic Surgeon. 13.9 per cent of the children examined presented
visual defects.
Enlarged Tonsils and Adenoids.
1,533 Children, or 22.7 per cent., were found suffering from unhealthy
conditions of the throat or naso-pharynx. Adenoids tend to
make a child deaf, and thus interfere seriously with the progress of the
child in school. Enlarged tonsils render a child liable to infection by
diseases such as rheumatism, scarlet fever and diphtheria.