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
Holborn 1929
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Holborn Borough]
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81
Overcrowding and Sleeping Accommodation.
There was no evidence of legal overcrowding in any of the houses; this
standard is notably low however. The sleeping arrangements are given in the
following table:—
| No. of Rheumatic Children | Separate Room | Bed in Living Room | Separate Bed in Room shared with | Bed shared with | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adults | Children | Adults and Children | Adults | Children | Adults and Children | |||||||||||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | |||||
| 45 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | ||
| 45 | 5 | 2 | 16 | 22 | ||||||||||||||||
It will be seen that only five children had a separate room, sixteen had a
separate bed in a shared room; twenty-two shared a, bed, five of these with more
than one person; two children had a bed in the living room, a very unsatisfactory
arrangement, seeing the child is disturbed by the late and uncertain hours of
going to bed kept by the rest of the family, and also the possibility of disturbance
at an early or earlyish hour in the morning.
In some instances where beds were shared, the reason given was the small
size of the rooms which made it difficult to get other beds in; whether the bunk
bed is a possible solution of this difficulty is not clear, ashore it is an innovation
and therefore not popular. Moreover, it is not obtainable at many shops and
second-hand stalls, and its existence is overlooked. It is not hygienic for anyone
to share a bed.
Social Conditions.
In four homes there was a history of chronic poverty but without acute
distress; in one of these the mother has been many years widowed; two have
been widowed since the provision of widows' pensions; and in the other, the
father's occupation (foreman in stables of a commercial firm) has become obsolete.
In the last home, however, the food, owing to the mother's commonsense and
industry, is as good, if not better, than in many homes where there is a larger
income. In all these homes, difficulty of providing proper clothing, and more
especially sufficient boots, may arise at any time, and if this does occur we hope
to be able to solve the difficulty.
In none of the families was there any social circumstances of special
significance.
Condition of the Nose and Throat.
In fourteen children the condition of the tonsils was normal.
Twenty-two children had their tonsils removed, nine of these also had
adenoids removed.
In four cases tonsillectomy was advised, one of the four also requiring
removal of adenoids.
F