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
Finsbury 1938
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Finsbury Borough]
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| Boys. | Girls. | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entrants. | Age 7. | Age 11. | Age 14. | Entrants. | Age 7. | Age 11. | Age 14. | |||||||||
| Number examined | 460 | 333 | 356 | 464 | 424 | 337 | 385 | 433 | ||||||||
| Cases | * | Cases | * | Cases | * | Cases | * | Cases | * | Cases | * | Cases | * | Cases | * | |
| Malnutrition | 8 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| Skin disease | 6 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 5 |
| Defective teeth | - | 194 | — | 114 | — | 112 | — | 119 | — | 169 | - | 126 | - | 89 | - | 111 |
| Enlarged tonsils | 63 | 23 | 28 | 11 | 11 | 6 | 17 | 10 | 58 | 20 | 23 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 6 |
| Adenoids | 2 | 1 | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | 3 | 3 | 3 | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Enlarged tonsils and adenoids | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | — | — | 1 | — | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 1 | 1 |
| Other nose and throat defects | 5 | — | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | — | — | - | — | 1 | 1 |
| Enlarged glands | 11 | 1 | 4 | — | 3 | — | 4 | — | 16 | 2 | 2 | — | 2 | — | — | — |
| Eye disease | 10 | 9 | 8 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 8 | 3 | 9 | 8 | 3 | 2 |
| Vision defect | — | — | — | 29 | — | 55 | — | 53 | — | — | - | 39 | - | 71 | - | 62 |
| Otorrhoea | — | — | 5 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 2 | — | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Other ear disease | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | — | - | 2 | - |
| Defective hearing | — | — | 2 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | 4 | 3 |
| Speech defects | 2 | — | 4 | 4 | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 | - | 1 | - |
| Heart defects | 19 | 1 | 12 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 13 | — | 15 | — | 7 | — | 12 | 1 | 8 | 1 |
| Anaemia | 4 | — | 2 | — | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | - | - | 1 | - |
| Lung defects | 15 | 2 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | — | 13 | 2 | 4 | 3 | — | - | 1 | 1 |
| Nervous defects | 1 | — | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | 3 | 1 | - | - |
| Phthisis | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | - | — | - | - | - | - | - |
| Other T.B. disease | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Rickets | 4 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Spinal deformities | — | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | - | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| Other deformities | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | — | — | 4 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 |
| Other defects | 11 | 3 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 11 | 5 | 8 | 5 | 13 | 8 |
| Number of children noted for treatment | — | 222 | — | 156 | — | 154 | — | 180 | — | 192 | — | 164 | - | 157 | — | 173 |
* Defects however slight are included under " cases " ; those severe enough to require treatment are shown under *.