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
Ilford 1924
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Ilford]
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Of the 637 children examined, 510 were found to require spectacles by reason of the following defects :—
| Myopia | 36 |
| Myopic Astigmatism | 50 |
| Hypermetropia | 176 |
| Hypermetropic Astigmatism | 160 |
| Mixed Astigmatism | 36 |
| Anisometropia | 22 |
| Myopia with Squint | 1 |
| Squint only | 1 |
| Hypermetropia with Squint | 28 |
| Total | 510 |
Of the remaining 127 children, 5 were suffering from the following other diseases :—
| Corneal Ulcers, Nebulas, etc | 1 |
| Persistent Pupillary Membrane | 1 |
| Nystagmus | 3 |
| Total | 5 |
94 children were found not to require spectacles, and in 28
cases the lenses already in use were found not to require changing.
A number of children (18) were kept under observation and
were re-examined during the year, the spectacles being changed
in 7 instances.
Under the Education Committee's scheme 510 pairs of spectacles
were provided. Of this number, 41 pairs of spectacles were
provided free and 7 pairs at a reduced charge, on necessitous
grounds. In addition, spectacles were renewed or repaired in 114
cases.
(c) Dental Department.— The Dentist has given the whole
of his time to School Medical work, with the exception of one
morning weekly to Maternity and Child Welfare work, and one
afternoon every alternate week to the treatment of Tuberculosis
cases.
During the year the Dentist paid 82 visits to the schools for
the purpose of inspecting the teeth of children.
The extent to which dental disease is prevalent among
school children is shown by the fact that of 5,678 children