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
Enfield 1938
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Enfield]
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99
DEFECTS FOUND AT ROUTINE MEDICAL INSPECTION.
Uncleanliness.—Of 4,112 children examined 8 were found to
have vermin in their heads and 201 had nits.
The comparative figures for the last five years are as follows:—
| 1934 | 1935 | 1936 | 1937 | 1938 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of children examined | 3,378 | 3,436 | 3,819 | 3,967 | 4,112 |
| Number of children with verminous heads | 15 | 7 | 11 | 5 | 8 |
| Percentage of children with verminous heads | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.2 |
| Number of children found to have nits | 279 | 182 | 220 | 202 | 201 |
| Percentage of children found to have nits | 8.2 | 5.0 | 5.8 | 5.1 | 4.9 |
In no case during the year was a child found to have body vermin.
Nutrition.—At the end of 1934 the Chief Medical Officer of the
Board of Education requested that nutrition in children should be
classified under the four headings:—
A Excellent.
B Normal.
C Slightly sub-normal.
D Bad.
The number of children examined in routine inspection in 1938 was 4,112 and the following table shows how they were classified, with comparative figures for 1935, 1936 and 1937.
| 1935 | 1936 | 1937 | 1938 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of children examined | 3,436 | 3,819 | 3,967 | 4,112 |
| Number of children classified"A" | 38 | 295 | 270 | 295 |
| Percentage of children classified "A" | 1.1 | 7.7 | 6.8 | 7.1 |
| Number of children classified "B" | 2,286 | 1,953 | 2,708 | 2,809 |
| Percentage of children classified "B" | 66.6 | 51.1 | 68.1 | 68.3 |
| Number of children classified "C" | 1,056 | 1,116 | 843 | 884 |
| Percentage of children classified"C" | 30.6 | 29.3 | 21.3 | 21.5 |
| Number of children classified "D" | 56 | 455 | 146 | 124 |
| Percentage of children classified "D" | 1.7 | 11.9 | 3.7 | 3.0 |