London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Bethnal Green 1938
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Bethnal Green Borough]
This page requires JavaScript
Examination of Elementary School Children in Bethnal Green 1938
| BOYS | GIRLS | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entrants | Age 7 | Age 11 | Age 14 | Entrants | Age 7 | Age 11 | Age 14 | |||||||||
| Number examined | 739 | 652 | 647 | 600 | 692 | 604 | 672 | 816 | ||||||||
| Cases | * | Cases | * | Cases | * | Cases | * | Cases | • | Cases | * | Cases | * | Cases | * | |
| Malnutrition | 42 | 23 | 21 | 14 | 12 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 36 | 28 | 17 | 13 | 13 | 10 | 4 | 4 |
| Skin disease | 16 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 13 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 11 | 10 | 15 | 14 | 21 | 11 |
| Defective teeth | — | 287 | — | 167 | — | 131 | — | 166 | — | 260 | — | 173 | — | 150 | — | 220 |
| Enlarged tonsils | 105 | 46 | 48 | 24 | 15 | 5 | 16 | 9 | 110 | 39 | 54 | 21 | 33 | 11 | 21 | 12 |
| Adenoids | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| Enlarged tonsils and adenoids | 10 | 6 | 6 | 5 | — | — | 1 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 1 | — | — | |
| Other nose and throat defects | 18 | 8 | 22 | 5 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 14 | 2 | 15 | 2 | 20 | — |
| Enlarged glands | 15 | 1 | 3 | — | 4 | — | 2 | — | 11 | 3 | 13 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 2 | — |
| Eye disease | 27 | 17 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 26 | 16 | 13 | 6 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 2 |
| Vision defect | — | — | — | 47 | — | 55 | — | 45 | — | — | — | 55 | — | 71 | — | 82 |
| Otorrhœa | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| Other ear disease | — | — | 4 | 8 | 3 | 3 | — | — | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | — | — | 1 | — |
| Defective hearing | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 2 | —- | 1 | — |
| Speech defects | — | — | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Heart defects | 3 | — | 6 | — | 6 | — | 3 | — | 9 | — | 6 | — | 8 | 2 | 9 | — |
| Anaemia | 6 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 1 | — | 5 | 4 |
| Lung defects | 33 | 15 | 15 | 5 | 1 | — | 5 | 1 | 33 | 15 | 15 | 3 | 3 | — | 5 | 1 |
| Nervous defects | 2 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 2 | — | 5 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — |
| Phthisis | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| Other T.B. disease | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Rickets | 4 | 2 | 3 | — | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | 1 | — |
| Spinal deformities | — | — | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | 7 | 3 |
| Other deformities | 4 | — | 4 | — | 5 | 1 | — | — | 5 | 2 | 2 | — | 9 | — | 12 | 10 |
| Other defects | 27 | 20 | 19 | 14 | 17 | 10 | 9 | 6 | 27 | 22 | 30 | 22 | 28 | 15 | 8 | 5 |
| Number of children noted for treat | ||||||||||||||||
| ment | 441 | 311 | 237 | 251 | 414 | 322 | 286 | 356 | ||||||||
♦Defects however slight are included under "cases"; those severe enough to require treatment are shown under *