London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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London County Council 1904

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]

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8
Nineteen boys in the school were the sons of widows. They nevertheless showed somewhat
better physique than the average, being on an average 1.4 centimetres taller and .3 kilos. heavier.
In many cases, unfortunately, it must be observed that the father is a parasitic member of the
family, accounting for more than he brings in, and taking the food out of the children's mouths.
Another point of interest tending to show that it is necessary to look far back in the life-history
for the causes of poor physique is the fact that where the parents are reported to have sunk from a
higher stratum of the community the children are usually of excellent physique compared with the
aboriginal denizens of the neighbourhood.
One of the most potent causes of ill-nutrition is undoubtedly the necessity for mothers to
leave their homes to go out to work. The added income of the family thus obtained is not repaid
by increased physique of the children, who practically never get a properly prepared meal.
Diagram II. (See page 9.)
Note.β€”In this diagram the fine vertical lines should be disregarded. The upper curve gives
yearly infantile mortality; the dotted curve the average European heights (Axel Key), and the
lower curve, heights from table on page 6.

Of 124 boys who were conspicuously above the average in physique, the figures were:β€”

Mother works.Mother keeps the house.Mother dead.
131092

Of 110 boys conspicuously below the age average, a similar inquiry gave this result:β€”

Mother works.Mother keeDS the houseMother dead
57449

Thus of the well-nourished children 87.9 per cent. had the benefit of maternal care, while of
the ill-nourished 40 per cent. only were in like case. The probability is that the damage is to a
great extent done in the first year of life, the percentage of mothers who go out to work probably