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 1940
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Willesden]
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The percentage of children found unclean at routine cleanliness inspections in 1940 was 5.5.
The percentage of individual children found unclean at these inspections was 4.2.
This is highly important work. In 1914, when it was first begun, the percentage of nitty or
verminous children in the schools was as high as 20. In those days a child was not called nitty or
verminous except there were many nits on the hair. In 1931, when a child with only a few nits was
placed in this category, the percentage of nitty or verminous children in the schools had dropped to 3.6.
It will therefore be noted that enormous improvement had been effected, far greater actually than
the figures show.
The first reverse in the steady decline which had been maintained since 1920 was in 1933,
when the percentage rose to 4.1 after having fallen to 3.6 in 1931 and 1932.
Table No . 4.
| 1914 | 20% |
| 1915 | 23% |
| 1916-19 | Results not recorded owing to war. |
| 1920 | 11.9% |
| 1921-25 | 7.9% |
| 1926-30 | 4.6% |
| 1931-35 | 3.8% |
| 1936 | 4.0% |
| 1937 | 4.2% |
| 1938 | 3.8% |
| 1939 | 3.8% |
| 1940 | 4.2% |
Note.—Routine cleanliness inspections were discontinued from the end of the summer term,
1939, and recommenced in April, 1940.
476 individual school children were cleansed at the Authority's Clinics in 1940. This compares
with a figure of 321 in 1939. The increase, notwithstanding evacuation, is accounted for to an appreciable
extent by the return of children from reception areas for the purpose of cleansing and by the
cleansing at the Health Centres of children found nitty and verminous immediately prior to evacuation
to a reception area who would in normal times have been cleansed by their parents at home.
(b) Reception Areas.—In last year's Annual Report the results of cleanliness inspections
made by the Willesden Council's Health Visitors in reception areas from 28th September, 1939, to
20th April, 1940, were shown.
The results of cleanliness inspections made by the Willesden Council's Health Visitors in
reception areas from 20th April, 1940, to 22nd March, 1941, are as follows :—
Table No . 5.
| Number Inspected. | Number Nitty or Verminous. | Percentage Nitty or Verminous. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Willesden Evacuees | 2,736 | 160 | 5.8% |
| Other Evacuees | 10,409 | 575 | 5.5% |
| Natives | 5,442 | 511 | 9.4% |
59 Willesden evacuees, 329 other evacuees and 35 natives were cleansed by Willesden Health
Visitors in reception areas during 1940.
Medical Treatment in Willesden.—During the year 1940, school children were followed up
by the Health Department on account of 5,072 medical defects and 2,240 dental defects. Of those
defects found to require treatment, medical or dental treatment was obtained for 5,012 and domestic
treatment was obtained for 742. 91 per cent, of the medical defects were treated, 74 per cent
receiving medical treatment and 17 per cent, domestic treatment, 76 per cent. of the dental defects
followed up were treated. No record is available of defects requiring treatment which were not
followed up. 95 per cent. of the total medical defects treated and 99 per cent. of the total dental
defects treated were dealt with by the Education Committee. The remainder, or 5 per cent. of the
medical defects and 1 per cent. of the dental defects treated, were dealt with by private practitioners,
voluntary hospitals or other charitable institutions, or Public Assistance. In connection with defects
treated, the children concerned made 26,037 attendances at the Health Centres in 1940.