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
Willesden 1919
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Willesden]
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The following summary therefore shows the minimum cost of physiological upkeep in April 1919, of a school child of 10 years taken as the average unit of a family excluding rent, insurance s and fares to and from work and care of children—
April, 1919.
| s. | d. | |
|---|---|---|
| Food | 4 | 9 |
| Lighting and Fuel | 0 | 11 |
| Sundries | 0 | 5 |
| Clothing | 1 | 9 |
| 7 | 10 |
This view is supported by the following table taken from the report of the Working Classes Cost of Living Committee, dated 23rd October, 1918, which gives the amount spent per head in a family of five amongst the unskilled classes in june. 1918—
| s. | d. | |
|---|---|---|
| Food | 8 | 7 |
| Lighting & Fuel | 0 | 10 |
| Sundries | 0 | 6 |
| Clothing | 1 | 7 |
| 11 | 6 |
On the basis that 7/10 per week is the minimum amount on which the average child of 10 years can be maintained in physiological health and in a state to take full advantage of the education provided then the scale in operation should be-
| No. in family | Net income per head of the family per week. | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | |
| s. | d. | |
| 2 | 10 | 0 |
| 3 | 8 | 0 |
| 4 | 7 | 6 |
| 5 or over | 7 | 0 |
When the value of the meals supplied by the Education Committee is added to this scale, the total amount allowed per head of the family approximates the 7/10 required as shown in the following table:—
| No. in family | Probable No. fed | Economic circumstances per week as per suggested scale | Total. | Relief from meals per week @ 3.76d. per meal per day | Total including relief from meals | Total economic circumstances per head per week. | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | |||||||
| s. | d. | £ | s. | d. | s. | d. | £ | s. | d. | s. | d. | ||
| 2 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 10 | 9 |
| 3 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 9 | 0 |
| 4 | 2 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 13 | 2 | 8 | 3 |
| 5 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 1 | 19 | 8 | 7 | 11 |
| 6 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 3 | 8 | 0 |
| 7 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 7 | 10 | 2 | 16 | 10 | 8 | 1 |
| 8 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 16 | 0 | 7 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 7 | 11 |
| 9 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 10 | 3 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 10 |
| 10 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 10 | 3 | 17 | 10 | 7 | 9 |