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
London County Council 1906
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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The following tabular statement is for boys and men only:—
| Name of Secondary School or College. | Number of Visits to School. | Number on Roll. | Number examined. | Two or more defective teeth. | Defects of Vision. | Throat or nose. | Hearing. | Discharging ears. | Heart. | Lungs. | Anaemia. | Physique. | Clothing. | Nutrition | Want of Cleanliness. | Speech. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 63 | 33 | 1 | 13 | 9 | 1 | — | 4 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | — | — | 5 | ||||
| 426 | 73 | 50 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |||||||
| 14 | 489 | 134 | 83 | 6 | 24 | 21 | 9 | 4 | 9 | 4 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 13 | |||
| 91 | 33 | 24 | 12 | 6 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
GIRLS.—Since September, 1906, Dr. Annie Gowdey and Miss Campbell have been engaged on
the inspection of the girls in the secondary schools and training colleges. They made detailed reports
of every girl seen; some 1350 girls passing through their hands. In the secondary schools 12 per
cent. showed lack of cleanliness, either of skin or hair or both, quite apart from any neglect of teeth.
This is too low an estimate of the average condition as notice had generally been given, and the
children were specially prepared for medical examination. About 15 per cent. were below the average
nutrition and 24 per cent. anaemic. Headaches were complained of by 20.5 per cent., in many cases
without obvious cause, but in others anaemia, defective vision, stomach troubles, and reading late at
night were frequently noted. Exaggerated movements, corrugated foreheads, insomnia and somnambulism
were met with. Several cases of overstrain were specially reported.
Similar conditions were found in the training colleges, but the standard of personal cleanliness,
although not always quite satisfactory, was of course much higher, and the use of the toothbrush
better understood. The prevalence of spinal curvature has been mentioned on page 18. With
regard to general physique, this varied considerably in the colleges. The highest standard was
observed in the Two.Year Department at OfEord Road, where the students showed a particularly
good physique, and were above the average in height and weight. They are chiefly drawn from the
country, and are those not attempting a university degree together with their training course, or
are those who have failed to satisfy the requirements of more advanced colleges elsewhere. At Avery
Hill and Greystoke Place, where the academic aims are more ambitious, the average physique was
much lower in comparison. The most striking fact brought out by the medical inspection seems to
be ignorance of the ordinary elementary rules of health. With these girls a course of hygiene should
take a leading and prominent position in the school. The overloaded literary and academic nature
of the curriculum will no doubt ere long be remedied, and more rational studies be substituted,
especially in the preparation of future teachers.
The average standard of physique is low. Cleanliness of the teeth, hands, nails, skin, and hair much neglected. The necessity for a frequent bath, that a daily wash should embrace more than the face and hands, and that the same undergarments should not be worn during the day and night has had to be frequently insisted on.
| Name of School or College. | No. on Roll. | Visits paid. | No. completely e jammed. | Defects requiring improvement in. | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Backs. | Eyes. | Throats. | Hearts. | Ears. | Glands. | Teeth. | Lungs. | Lack of cleanliness. | General physique. | ||||
| Secondary schools— Eltham | 67 | 5 | 46 | 24 | 8 | 1 | — | 2 | 2 | 16 | — | — | 9 |
| Fulham | 225 | 12 | 135 | 51 | 22 | 18 | 1 | 8 | 3 | 32 | — | 8 | 9 |
| Hackney | 190 | 10 | 112 | 68 | 25 | 45 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 54 | (?) 1 | 30 | 17 |
| Kentish Town | 237 | 10 | 100 | 47 | 20 | 25 | 7 | 1 | — | 39 | — | 4 | 14 |
| Kingsland | 185 | 7 | 64 | 51 | 18 | 26 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 24 | (?) 1 | 15 | 21 |
| Manor Mount | 100 | 4 | 29 | 17 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 8 | — | — | 17 |
| Paddington | 133 | 5 | 36 | 16 | 10 | 9 | 3 | — | 1 | 22 | — | 4 | 2 |
| Peckham | 233 | 12 | 83 | 34 | 18 | 4 | — | 6 | 4 | 28 | — | 20 | 8 |
| Stockwell | 228 | 7 | 87 | 40 | 10 | 7 | 2 | 9 | 6 | 30 | — | 5 | 7 |
| Southwark | 116 | 11 | 82 | 33 | 25 | 21 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 38 | — | 17 | 14 |
| Sydenham | 118 | 7 | 63 | 47 | 15 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 22 | — | 1 | 14 |
| Total | 1,932 | 90 | 837 | 428 | 175 | 144 | 31 | 38 | 31 | 313 | (?) 2 | 104 | 132 |
| Percentages | — | — | — | 5.0 | 20.9 | 1.7 | 3.7 | 4.5 | 3.7 | 37.4 | 12.4 | 15 | |
| Training colleges— Avery Hill | 159 | 9 | 63 | 21 | 18 | 1 | 4 | 2 | — | 16 | — | — | 13 |
| Grays toke.place | 147 | 14 | 98 | 38 | 26 | 1 | 3 | 2 | — | 35 | — | 1 | 23 |
| Southampton.stree (a) 2 year | 180 | 28 | 141 | 27 | 36 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 70 | 1 | 1 | 7 | |
| (6) 3 year | 80 | — | 75 | 21 | 24 | 10 | 3 | 1 | —— | 42 | 1 | — | 6 |
| Total | 566 | 51 | 377 | 107 | 104 | 18 | 16 | 5 | 1 | 163 | 2 | 2 | 49 |
| Percentage | 28"4 | 27.6 | 4 7 | 4 | 1.3 | — | 43 2 | — | — | 13 | |||
| 149588 | |||||||||||||