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
London County Council 1914
Annual report of the Council, 1914 Vol. III public health...
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92
Annual Report of the London County Council, 1914.
Children aged 12. Special Schools (Mentally Defective Children).
| Right Eye. | Left Eye. | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6/6 | 6/9 | 6/12 | 6/18 | 6/24 | 6/36 | 6/60 or worse. | Total. | ||
| Boys | 6/6 | 112 | 10 | 1 | 1 | - | 1 | - | 125 |
| Girls | 87 | 1 | 1 | - | 1 | - | 1 | 91 | |
| Boys | 6/9 | 9 | 155 | 9 | 1 | - | 2 | 3 | 179 |
| Girls | 5 | 121 | 8 | 1 | - | - | 1 | 136 | |
| Boys | 6/12 | - | 8 | 19 | 4 | - | 1 | 1 | 33 |
| Girls | 2 | 5 | 24 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 39 | |
| Boys | 6/18 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 16 | - | - | 1 | 31 |
| Girls | 1 | 3 | 4 | 15 | 2 | - | - | 25 | |
| Boys | 6/24 | 1 | - | 2 | 1 | 2 | - | - | 6 |
| Girls | 2 | - | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 10 | |
| Boys | 6/36 | - | 1 | - | - | 1 | 4 | - | 6 |
| Girls | - | - | 2 | 2 | - | 2 | - | 6 | |
| Boys | 6/60 or worse | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | 1 | 7 |
| Girls | 2 | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | 3 | |
| Boys | Total | 125 | 179 | 41 | 24 | 4 | 8 | 6 | 387 |
| Girls | 99 | 130 | 41 | 23 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 310 | |
Ears and
hearing.
The number of children reported with ear diseases, mainly discharging ears, was 5,609 or 2.5
per cent., compared with 2.4 per cent. in 1913 and 23 per cent. in 1912. 3,046 or l.3 per cent. were
referred for treatment. Defective hearing was found in 3,414 cases or 1.5 per cent. as compared with
1.7 per cent. in 1913 and 1912. The particulars are shown in the following tables:—
Ear Disease.
Entrants. 8-9. Leavers.
Referred for Referred for Referred for
Disease of ears. treatment. Disease of ears. treatment. Disease of ears. treatment.
Boys, 1914 27 1.5 2.0 1.1 2.4 1.2
1913 2.6 1.4 2.0 1.0 2.3 1.2
„ 1912 2.47 - 213 - 1.98 -
Girls, 1914 27 1.5 2.2 1.2 2.4 1.3
„ 1913 2.6 1.4 2.2 1.1 2.4 1.2
„ 1912 2.46 — 2.65 — 2.03 —
Defect of Hearing.
Entrants. 8-9. Leavers.
Referred for Referred for Referred for
Defect. treatment. Defect. treatment. Defect. treatment.
Boys, 1914 1.0 0.3 1.3 0.4 2.4 0.8
„ 1913 1.2 0.3 1.9 0.6 2.1 0.8
„ 1912 1.0 — 1.9 — 2.2 —
Girls, 1914 1.0 0.3 1.3 0.4 2.4 0.8
„ 1913 1.3 0.35 1.9 0.7 2.4 1.0
„ 1912 1.2 — 2.1 — 2.1 —
The foregoing tables show that disease of the ears is commoner among infants than amongst older
children, whereas defect of hearing is more evident at the highest ages. It is interesting to note that
disease of the ears and defect of hearing is almost the only condition in childhood which has no varying
incidence upon the sexes at each age. Amongst urgent cases examined during the year, 1,066 were found
suffering from ear diseases, or 5.9 per cent. and of these a very large proportion were referred for treatment.
Speech
defects.
559 children (or .25 per cent) were reported as stammerers compared with .32 per cent. in
1913 and 1912. Other speech defects were noted in 1,585 cases, or .69 per cent., compared with .98 per
cent. in 1913 and .69 per cent. in 1912.