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
Battersea 1938
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Battersea Borough]
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Routine Medical Inspection of Elementary School Children in Battersea, 1938.
| BOYS. | GIRLS. | Total. | Percentage. | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entrants | Age 7 | Age 11 | Age 14 | Entrants | Age 7 | Age 11 | Age 14 | Batt. | London. | ||
| Number examined | 813 | 708 | 691 | 685 | 893 | 759 | 855 | 692 | 6,096 | - | - |
| Clothing and boots— | |||||||||||
| Good | 657 | 586 | 556 | 530 | 758 | 651 | 691 | 511 | 4,940 | 81.0 | 54.6 |
| Fair | 156 | 121 | 135 | 155 | 135 | 108 | 164 | 181 | 1,155 | 19.0 | 45.1 |
| Poor | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0.0 | 0.3 |
| Nutrition— | |||||||||||
| Good | 75 | 42 | 64 | 51 | 88 | 105 | 80 | 82 | 587 | 9.6 | 16.2 |
| Average | 666 | 576 | 570 | 580 | 745 | 600 | 698 | 573 | 5,008 | 82.2 | 77.2 |
| Below normal | 72 | 90 | 57 | 54 | 60 | 54 | 75 | 37 | 499 | 8.2 | 6.6 |
| Bad | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | - | 2 | ||
| Cleanliness of head— | |||||||||||
| Clean | 812 | 706 | 690 | 684 | 886 | 751 | 839 | 680 | 6,048 | 99.2 | 97.7 |
| Nits | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 13 | 4 | 31 | 0.5 | 2.0 |
| Pediculi | — | 1 | — | — | 5 | — | 3 | 8 | 17 | 0.3 | 0.3 |
| Cleanliness of body— | |||||||||||
| Clean | 813 | 708 | 691 | 684 | 893 | 759 | 855 | 691 | 6,094 | 100.0 | 98.7 |
| Dirty | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | 0.0 | 1.2 |
| Pediculi | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0.0 | 0.1 |
| Teeth— | |||||||||||
| All sound | 453 | 438 | 502 | 485 | 499 | 494 | 623 | 493 | 3,987 | 65.4 | 70.2 |
| Less than 4 decayed | 269 | 210 | 178 | 186 | 300 | 216 | 213 | 183 | 1,755 | 28.8 | 26.3 |
| Four or more decayed | 91 | 60 | 11 | 14 | 94 | 49 | 19 | 16 | 354 | 5.8 | 3.5 |
| Vision— | |||||||||||
| 6/6 in both eyes | — | 530 | 503 | 494 | — | 582 | 572 | 498 | 3,179 | 72.6 | 67.8 |
| 6/9 in either or both eyes | — | 118 | 76 | 74 | — | 111 | 145 | 74 | 598 | 13.7 | 19.0 |
| 6/12 or worse in either or both eyes | — | 54 | 111 | 116 | — | 62 | 138 | 117 | 598 | 13.7 | 13.2 |