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 1949
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Ilford]
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68
SPECIAL CLINICS.
Ophthalmic Clinic.
During the year 1949, the School Oculist held 179 sessions for the
refraction of children suffering from defective vision (125 at Valentines and
54 at Mayesbrook). Full details of the work are given in Table IV, Group II.
2,726 attendances (1,697 at Valentines Clinic, 1,029 at Mayesbrook Clinic)
were made by 1,265 schoolchildren (803 at Valentines Clinic, 462 at Mayesbrook
Clinic), as compared with 1,464 schoolchildren in 1948.
The 1,265 children were not all suffering from grave defects of vision.
The following table shows the vision in the worst eye, as tested by Snellen's
Type
6/6 6/9 6 6/18 6/24 6/36 6/60 less than 6/60
206 200 12 199 159 145 110 16
230
The children who saw 6/6 (practically normal vision) were suffering from symptoms such as headaches, inflamed eyelids, etc., which rendered further examination necessary.
The 1,265 children were found to be suffering from the following defects :—
| Diagnosis. | New Cases. | Old Cases. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | B | A | B | |
| Myopia | 71 | 39 | 112 | 62 |
| Myopic Astigmatism | 14 | 4 | 25 | 10 |
| Hypermetropia | 65 | 26 | 121 | 67 |
| Hypermetropic Astigmatism | 5 | 8 | 43 | 25 |
| Anisometropia | 6 | 2 | 5 | 7 |
| Hypermetropia with Squint | 6 | - | 31 | 10 |
| Squint | 42 | 45 | 140 | 97 |
| Blepharitis | 4 | 1 | 13 | 7 |
| Chalazion | — | — | 2 | — |
| Congenital Cataract | — | — | — | 1 |
| Congenital Coloboma | 1 | — | 2 | 3 |
| Corneal nebulae | — | — | 3 | 1 |
| Conjunctivitis | 10 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Nystagmus | 1 | 1 | 10 | 5 |
| Other conditions | 6 | 6 | 11 | 8 |
| N.A.D. | 23 | 15 | 28 | 5 |
| Totals | 254 | 149 | 549 | 313 |
A—Valentines B—Mayesbrook.
Under the National Health Service Executive Council for Essex, 898
complete pairs of spectacles were provided, some of these being renewals
after breakages. In addition, in 264 cases the lenses of spectacles were
replaced or repairs of frames were carried out.
Orthoptic Clinic.—Arrangements with the Walthamstow Education
Committee for Ilford children to be seen by the Orthoptist at the Walthamstow
Clinic have now ceased.
Dr. Powell, the School Medical Officer, Walthamstow, reported that he
was unable to accept any new cases after 12th October, 1948, but that the
treatment of children already referred would continue. Particulars of
children seen during the year are as follows :—
Number of cases treated, 13
6 were discharged cured.
5 referred for operation.
6 transferred to other Clinics.
Total number of attendances for the year, 47.