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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Table: Dr. Squire examined th boys, Miss Gowdey the girls, and all cases with any abnormality were seen by both the doctors.

Dr. Squire examined th boys, Miss Gowdey the girls, and all cases with any abnormality were seen by both the doctors.

Roll.ConsumptionSpinal disease.Hip disease.Lupus.Other forms of tuberculosis.Marked tonsils and adenoids.
Latimer-road. —Boys.
Teacher's return3354___15
Medical reports3332———6123
Girls.
Teacher's return357212__5
Medical reports3130—1—4146
Infants.
Teacher's return417_1__80209
Medical reports243————12137
Addison-gardens Mixed.—
Teacher's return826——2——4
Medioal reports7766———61*334
Total. Teacher's return1,935624_81223
Medical reports1,6708—1—83740

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* This includes ohildren with enlarged veins on the chest or fine downy hair down the spine.

Table: The general results as regards glandular and lymphatic conditions in these schools and lung conditions were :—

The general results as regards glandular and lymphatic conditions in these schools and lung conditions were :—

School.Number examined.Glands.Tonsils and adenoids.Anaemic.TubercleLungs,
Doubtful.Unhealthy non-tuberculous.
Addison-gardens.—
Boys3663431181016119
Girls410192216127037
Latimer-road. —
Boys3332611231142012
Girls3182391461010012
Infants24319613754008
Totals —1,6701,23174049781448
Percentages—73744329.70.470.82.8
1.3%
4.19 %

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There were indirect results from this examination in that many children suffering from phySIcal
defects, which either interfered with school progress or were likely to seriously influence their
future life, had medical treatment recommended. Many cases of heart trouble, greatly enlarged
tonsils or adenoids and carious teeth were thus advised and went for treatment.
As to the actual returns in the table above, out of 1,670 children examined, signs in the lungs
which would justify a diagnosis of tuberculosis, were only found in 8 cases, that is less than 05 per cent.
In 14 other children slight signs—prolonged expiratory breath sounds, or dry fine crepitation at the
margin of the lungs—which might possibly be due to tubercular infection were found. Even if these
are included as actual cases of tubercular disease the percentage of possible pulmonary tuberculosis
only reaches 1.3 per cent. There is a further small proportion in which enlarged veins on the chest
suggest the possibility of bronchial gland enlargement due to tubercular changes, but without any evident
lung infection. Nearly three-quarters of these children presented enlargement of the cervical lymphatic
glands, and over 40 per cent. (43 per cent.) had enlarged tonsils. Childhood is the period of glandular
activity, and the lymphatic glands of children are most sensitive re-agents to irritants and indicators
of the sanitary state of their environment. It is noteworthy that anaemia is present in about one-third
of them, and is just as common in the better class as in the poorer school.
TONSILS AND ADENOIDS.
There are many children suffering from a series of remote symptoms, even up to the just mentioned
cases supposed to have consumption, increasing however in importance and variety with age, who
begin their troubles in life as cases of “ tonsils or adenoids.” No teacher is fit to have charge of a class
of young children who cannot give a pretty fair opinion as to whether a child is suffering seriously in
this respect or not. Certain powers of destroying or digesting hurtful foreign elements, whether living