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 1936
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Bethnal Green Borough]
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Examination of Elementary School Children in Bethnal Green 1936
| BOYS | GIRLS | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entrants | Age 7 | Age 11 | Age 14 | Entrants | Age 7 | Age 11 | Age 14 | |||||||||
| Number examined | 754 | 626 | 736 | 694 | 700 | 646 | 717 | 906 | ||||||||
| Cases | * | Cases | * | Cases | * | Cases | * | Cases | * | Cases | * | Cases | * | Cases | * | |
| Malnutrition | 38 | 38 | 20 | 15 | 6 | 5 | 13 | 12 | 28 | 24 | 15 | 13 | 8 | 7 | 10 | 10 |
| Skin disease | 12 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 9 | G | 11 | 6 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 5 | 12 | 8 |
| Defective teeth | — | 311 | — | 152 | — | 162 | — | 153 | — | 295 | — | 186 | _ | 156 | _ | 271 |
| Enlarged tonsils | 150 | 64 | 51 | 17 | 26 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 116 | 44 | 79 | 31 | 38 | 11 | 15 | 5 |
| Adenoids | 5 | 4 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | _ | _ | 1 | 1 |
| Enlarged tonsils and adenoids | 16 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | — | — | 8 | 6 | 17 | 12 | 4 | _ | _ | _ |
| Other nose and throat defects | 17 | 3 | 17 | 1 | 17 | 3 | 1 | — | 17 | 7 | 12 | 7 | 14 | 1 | 13 | 1 |
| Enlarged glands | 21 | — | 12 | — | 13 | — | 2 | — | 16 | — | 12 | 3 | 8 | — | 3 | _ |
| Eye disease | 27 | 15 | 14 | 8 | 11 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 30 | 19 | 14 | 8 | 13 | 8 | 6 | 2 |
| Vision defect | — | — | — | 55 | — | 85 | — | 84 | — | — | — | 68 | _ | 80 | _ | 127 |
| Otorrhoea | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 |
| Other ear disease | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 3 | 2 | — | _ | _ | _ | 1 | 1 | _ | - |
| Defective hearing | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | _ | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Speech defects | 4 | 2 | 2 | — | 3 | — | 3 | 1 | 4 | — | 1 | _ | 1 | — | 1 | 1 |
| Heart defects | 6 | — | 4 | — | 5 | — | 5 | — | 15 | 1 | 13 | — | 10 | 1 | 8 | _ |
| Anaemia | 1 | — | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 2 | — | 3 | _ | 1 | _ | _ | _ | 1 | 1 |
| Lung defects | 42 | 12 | 17 | 2 | 15 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 43 | 19 | 16 | 2 | 15 | 1 | 2 | _ |
| Nervous defects | — | — | 2 | 1 | 7 | 4 | — | — | 5 | 2 | 1 | _ | 3 | 1 | 2 | _ |
| Phthisis | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | _ | _ | 1 | 1 |
| Other T.B. disease | — | _ | — | — | _ | _ | ___ | — | _ | _ | _ | _ | _ | _ | _ | - |
| Rickets | 3 | 1 | _ | _ | _ | _ | 2 | _ | 2 | 2 | 2 | _ | 1 | _ | _ | - |
| Spinal deformities | 1 | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | _ | _ | _ | 11 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| Other deformities | 3 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 8 | 3 | 1 | — | 5 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 10 | _ | 15 | 8 |
| Other defects | 26 | 23 | 16 | 7 | 30 | 24 | 12 | 6 | 27 | 22 | 15 | 10 | 18 | 9 | 13 | 4 |
| Number of children noted for treatment | 392 | 229 | 264 | 240 | 351 | 281 | 246 | 380 | ||||||||
Defects however slight are included under " cases " ; those severe enough to require treatment are shown under *