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
Edmonton 1913
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Edmonton]
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History of previous Illnesses.
The percentage of cases in which there had been a previous history of the commoner illnesses of children is given below:—
| Age. | Measles. | Whooping Cough. | Chicken Pox. | Scarlet Fever. | Diphtheria. | Pneumonia. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boys— | ||||||
| 5—6 | 87.2 | 47.6 | 35.6 | 4.8 | 2.5 | 4.2 |
| 6—7 | 93.5 | 59.2 | 44.8 | 2.6 | 2.6 | 2.9 |
| 10—11 | 95.8 | 60.5 | 54.0 | 15.9 | 4.7 | 3.7 |
| 13—14 | 96.5 | 62.2 | 50.9 | 11.8 | 4.1 | 7.3 |
| All ages | 92.5 | 56.0 | 45.6 | 9.7 | 3.6 | 4.6 |
| Girls— | ||||||
| 5—6 | 85.5 | 53.4 | 39.8 | 6.8 | 3.9 | 4.6 |
| 6—7 | 91.2 | 53.3 | 43.5 | 8.7 | 5.4 | 2.2 |
| 10—11 | 95.8 | 61.5 | 51.6 | 11.3 | 5.6 | 3.5 |
| 13—14 | 96.5 | 68.9 | 59.3 | 8.9 | 4.3 | 4.3 |
| All ages | 92.9 | 64.0 | 51.6 | 11.8 | 4.8 | 4.2 |
The table shows once more how very few children escape measles.
I noticed scars of tracheotomy operations for diphtheria in the case of six
children. Nine children had had mastoid operations and four had had
operations for appendicitis. Three had had operations for empyema.
Nutrition.
The number of boys whose nutrition was bad was 16, and the number of
girls 20, being 0.7 per cent, and 1.0 per cent, respectively of the children
examined. See table at end.
PROVISION OF MEALS.
I am indebted to Mr. Pickrell, the Hon. Secretary of the Canteen Committee,
for the following particulars:—
Dinners were served to necessitous children throughout the year during
the periods that the schools were open.
All cases are enquired into by an Investigation Committee and local SubCommittees.
The following show the genera! lines on which the granting of
meals is determined :—
1. Each Local Committee to meet when necessary. Ten cases are a
sufficient number to warrant the Local Secretary calling a meeting.
2. Cases occurring between meetings to be fed on the unanimous
decision of Head Teachers and School Attendance Officers—until the
next meeting, when they will be investigated.