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
Bethnal Green 1934
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Bethnal Green Borough]
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Examination of Elementary School Children in Bethnal Green, 1934.
| Number examined | BOYS | GIRLS | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entrants | Age 7 | Age 11 | Age 14 | Entrants | Age 7 | Age 11 | Age 14 | |||||||||
| 893 | 419 | 816 | 889 | 934 | 431 | 827 | 1138 | |||||||||
| Cases | * | Cases | * | Cases | * | Cases | * | Cases | * | Cases | * | Cases | * | Cases | * | |
| Malnutrition | 16 | 14 | 13 | 6 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 16 | 14 | 2 | 1 | 15 | 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Skin disease | 15 | 7 | 9 | 5 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 15 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 3 | — | 12 | 12 |
| Defective teeth | — | 356 | — | 121 | — | 198 | — | 222 | — | 376 | — | 100 | — | 185 | — | 290 |
| Enlarged tonsils | 151 | 52 | 43 | 22 | 32 | 6 | 16 | 5 | 123 | 42 | 35 | 14 | 42 | 13 | 22 | 10 |
| Adenoids | 9 | 8 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 6 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Enlarged tonsils and adenoids | 17 | 16 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 14 | 11 | — | — | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Other nose and throat defects | 13 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 17 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 2 | |
| Enlarged glands | 22 | 7 | 3 | — | 5 | 2 | 1 | — | 13 | 2 | 6 | - | 5 | 2 | 6 | 1 |
| Eye disease | 35 | 23 | 12 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 1 | — | 39 | 25 | 8 | 4 | 10 | 8 | 13 | 8 |
| Vision defect | — | — | — | 39 | — | 114 | — | 120 | — | — | - | 41 | - | 95 | - | 149 |
| Otorrhoea | 8 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Other ear disease | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | - | — | 3 | 1 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| Defective hearing | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | — | 4 | 3 | 1 | — | 2 | — | 5 | — | 4 | 4 |
| Speech defects | — | 5 | 1 | 1 | — | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | — | 1 | — | - | - | |
| Heart defects | 13 | — | 8 | — | 12 | — | 5 | 1 | 20 | 2 | 1 | 15 | — | 16 | - | |
| Anaemia | 10 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | 2 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| Lung defects | 63 | 10 | 13 | 2 | 10 | 2 | 7 | — | 55 | 15 | 8 | 2 | 10 | 3 | 9 | 5 |
| Nervous defects | 3 | 2 | 5 | — | 3 | — | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | ||
| Phthisis | 1 | — | — | — | - | — | 1 | ] | — | — | — | — | — | - | 1 | — |
| Other t.b. disease | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | —- | — |
| Rickets | 3 | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | 2 | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | 1 | - | - | — |
| Spinal deformities | — | — | 1 | — | 5 | — | 2 | 1 | — | — | 3 | — | 6 | 2 | 5 | 3 |
| Other deformities | 10 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 3 | 14 | 9 | 6 | — | 3 | 1 | 20 | 9 | 18 | 11 |
| Other defects | 36 | 27 | 6 | 1 | 20 | 10 | 11 | 4 | 33 | 21 | 6 | 4 | 25 | 13 | 25 | 13 |
| Number of children noted for treatment | 437 | 184 | 307 | 339 | 447 | 152 | 296 | 448 | ||||||||
| * Defects however slight are included under "cases"; those severe enough to require treatment are shown under * | ||||||||||||||||