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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finger being omitted. With enlarged tonsils or other morbid conditions the throat was inspected, a
spatula and electric lamp being used. Each ear was also looked at with a speculum ; the drums being
inspected and the conditions noted ; many interesting conditions being recorded which cannot be dealt
with now.
The following table gives a short statement of the number of individuals with the chief conditions seen:—
| 308 boys who had sufficient hearing to pass the test. | 131 boys who failed in hearing test. | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 430 Boys Ages | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
| 176 mouth-breathers | — | 6 | 16 | 35 | 37 | 2 | — | 1 | 18 | 29 | 29 | 3 |
| Cicatrices | _ | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | _ | - | 3 | 13 | 5 | 1 | |
| Opacities, etc. — | — | — | — | 3 | 2 | - | — | — | 1 | 8 | 4 | _ |
| Perforations | - | - | 2 | - | - | - | 6 | 3 | __ | |||
| Discharges | — | — | — | — | 1 | - | — | 1 | 3 | 8 | 5 | _ |
| Enlarged tonsils | — | 2 | 3 | 12 | 5 | - | — | — | 7 | 9 | 5 | 2 |
| 38 partial mouth-breathers | — | 1 | 10 | 8 | 5 | - | — | 1 | 3 | 8 | 1 | — |
| Cicatrices | _ | _ | _ | 1 | - | - | - | _ | 1 | 2 | _ | - |
| Opacities, etc. | — | — | — | 1 | — | - | — | 1 | — | 2 | _ | _ |
| Perforations | - | - | - | - | - | |||||||
| Discharges | — | — | — | — | — | - | — | - | — | 1 | — | _ |
| Enlarged tonsils | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | - | — | - | — | 1 | — | — |
| 226 normal breathers | — | 8 | 34 | 68 | 70 | 8 | — | 1 | 7 | 16 | 13 | 1 |
| Cicatrices | _ | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | - | _ | ___ | 2 | 6 | 1 | 1 |
| Opacities, etc. | — | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | 4 | 5 | _ |
| Perforations | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |||
| Discharges | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | _ |
| Enlarged tonsilS | — | 2 | 7 | 10 | 21 | 1 | — | 1 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 1 |
| Totals | — | 15 | 60 | 111 | 112 | 10 | — | 3 | 28 | 53 | 43 | 4 |
| 399 girls who had sufficient hearing to pass the test. | 168 girls with hearing insufficient to pass the test. | |||||||||||
| 567 Girls Ages | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
| 184 mouth-breathers | 3 | 8 | 22 | 40 | 28 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 14 | 23 | 31 | 3 |
| Cicatrices | _ | _ | 2 | 4 | 4 | -_ | _ | 3 | 6 | 10 | 11 | - |
| Opacities, etc. | — | 2 | 1 | 4 | 1 | — | 1 | — | 2 | 4 | — | _ |
| Perforations | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | 3 | 7 | 6 | _- |
| Discharges | — | 1 | — | 5 | 3 | — | — | 1 | 5 | 10 | 10 | _ |
| Enlarged tonsils | 2 | 3 | 6 | 17 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | 10 | 9 | 2 |
| 29 Partial mouth-breathers | 1 | 1 | 6 | 8 | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | 3 | 2 | 5 | — |
| Cicatrices | _ | _ | 1 | 1 | _ | _ | _ | 1 | _ | - | - | |
| Opacities | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | - | _ |
| Perforations | - | - | - | |||||||||
| Discharges | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | _ |
| Enlarged tonsils | — | — | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | — |
| 354 non-mouth-breathers | 8 | 33 | 68 | 102 | 64 | 2 | — | 2 | 18 | 39 | 15 | 3 |
| Cicatrices | _ | 1 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 1 | _ | 1 | 7 | 15 | 5 | - |
| Opacities | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 3 | 7 | 3 | - |
| Perforations | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | 2 | 6 | 1 | - |
| Discharges | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 9 | _ | 1 |
| Enlarged tonsils | 2 | 5 | 17 | 26 | 11 | — | — | — | 3 | 8 | 9 | — |
| Totals | 12 | 42 | 96 | 150 | 93 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 35 | 64 | 51 | 6 |
Of these 1,006 children 73 showed existing chronic suppuration. Many gave a history of discharges,
but have not been included, as most would be recorded under cases with cicatrices or perforations
of the membranes, and the histories are untrustworthy. Although many might easily be missed, cicatrices
on the drums were recorded in 134 children, and 42 had perforations, apart from those with actual
suppuration. This means, for instance, in regard to swimming or diving, that in 5 per cent. of these
children there would be a risk of re-awakening old disease in the ears,