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78
Three children showed a decrease in haemoglobin.
G.P., aged 9½, at Montpelier House, fell from 90 on admission to 85. He was a confirmed mouth breather,
necessitating an operation for adenoids whilst at the school, which doubtless led to loss of blood; his tendency to
mouth breathing was not entirely removed ; the operation in addition led to temporary loss of weight, which was more
than made up during his subsequent attendance.
A.G., aged 11 J, fell from 100 ha moglobin to 90 ; he was the subject of severe heart disease and attended very
badly.
E.S., aged 11 fell from 85 to 80 ; she, however, had teeth extracted three days before the first estimation,
and suffered considerable bleeding from the gums.
Six children remained stationary, 52 children increased up to 10, 102 increased from 10 to 20,
and 68 increased 20 and upwards.
The Birley House children showed a very great amount of anaemia at entrance ; they came
from central and overcrowded parts of Lambeth and Camberwell, and the improvement made was so
great that at the closure of the school their condition was equal to that of the children in the other
schools.
In a few cases the anaemia was very profound, but nevertheless responded readily to the healthy
conditions of open-air life.
D.H., aged 9, on admission was in a very bloodless condition, the haemoglobin estimate being only 30 on the
15th June, the heart was dilated and loud anaemic bruits were heard at each cardiac valve ; on the 26th June the
haemoglobin was again only 30 ; on the 2nd July it had risen to 40, on the 10th July to 60, on the 17th August to 70,
on the 31st August to 80, and on 13th October it was 90, the heart was back to its normal size and all the murmurs
had disappeared.
A.H., aged 10¾, on admission was noted to be thin, anaemic and weedy. On the 15th June there was chronic
bronchitis noted and the haemoglobin estimate 60 ; on the 3rd July haemoglobin 80 and very little cough ; on the 13th
October haemoglobin 90 and the bronchitis had entirely disappeared.
In several other cases at this school an increase of 30 in the haemoglobin estimate was charted,
and in each the improvement was accompanied by the disappearance of all the other concomitant signs
and symptoms of anaemia. These cases show how greatly open-air schools are likely to benefit the
children in the more densely populated areas where slums are unbroken by open spaces. The difficulty
in their provision is that of transport.
Notes on some of the children who received benefit generally.
J.B., girl (Montpelier House), aged 10½. Height on admission 141 c.m., excess 11 c.m. Weight on admission
29.3 kilo., excess 2 kilo. Haemoglobin 75. Condition on admission (2.7.08): Bodily—thin, overgrown, dilated heart,
tonsils and adenoids; mental—very slow and resentful. Weight on leaving, 33'8 kilo. Percentage increase in body
weight, 15. Increase in haemoglobin 10. Condition on leaving (24.10.08) : Bodily—Looks much improved, heart
normal, still needs attention to tonsils and adenoids ; mental—temper much improved, has begun to make progress.
I.H., girl (Montpelier House), aged 11. Height on admission 126 cm., deficiency 5.5 c.m. Weight on admission
21.9 kilo, deficiency 5'6 kilo. Haemoglobin 75. Condition on admission (2.7.08): Bodily—poorly nourished, small,
seven carious teeth ; mental—backward, not good tempered, resentful. Weight on leaving 24.9 kilo. Percentage
increase in weight 13.7. Increase in haemoglobin 15. Condition on leaving (24.10.08): Bodily—great improvement
in appearance, teeth not done ; mental—has gained much self-respect, a better environment would make her a really
good girl.
G.J., boy (Montpelier House), aged 12¾. Height on admission 137 cm., deficiency 2 cm. Weight on admission
27.9 kilo., deficiency 5.1 kilo. Condition on admiss on (29.6.08): Bodily—hæmoglobin 75 ; thin, mouth breather,
enlarged tonsils, three carious teeth, lateral curvature ; mentally—indifferent, incapable of making an effort, no ambition.
Weight on leaving 30.7 kilo. Percentage.increase in body weight 10. (Lost wo'ght in eighth week owing to operation
upon tonsils.) Condition on leaving (26.1.0.08): Bodily—has done well, increase in haemoglobin 15, better nourished
and can use nose properly ; mental—at first took' no part in games, gradually induced to do so, was chosen by boys
to be captain, has won a creditable place in the. school, home life is very bad and cheerless.
E.S., girl (Montpelier House), aged 8½. Height on admission 117 c.m., deficiency 3 c.m. Weight on admission
20'6 kilo., deficiency 3 kilo. Haemoglobin 60. Condition on admission (27.6.08): Thin, pale, six carious teeth,
backward, cannot read nor calculate. Weight on leaving 22.8 kilo. Percentage increase in body weignt 10'5. In
crease in haemoglobin 25. Condition on leaving (26.10.08): Looks greatly improved, teeth not treated, reading
much improved, more interested in lessons.
M.S., girl (Montpelier House), aged 9½. Height on admission 117 cm., deficiency 7.5 c.m. Weight on admission
20.8 kilo., deficiency 4 kilo. Haemoglobin 60. Mentally, on admission (27.6.08), backward, very dull, inattentive.
Weight on leaving 23.9 kilo. Percentage increase in body weight 10. Increase in haemoglobin 20. Mental condition
on leaving (30.10.08), work much improved, much more attentive.
E.S., girl (Montpelier House), aged 10¾. Height on admission 140 cm., excess 9 cm. Weight on admission
27.4 kilo., deficiency .35 kilo. Haemoglobin 80. Condition on admission (15.7.08): Thin and delicate, some suspicion
of phthisis in lungs; Mentally—restless and hysterical. Weight on leaving 31.2 kilo. Percentage increase in body
weight 14. Increase in haemoglobin 5. Condition on leaving (24.10.08): Looks much better in colour and stoutness,
great improvement; Mentally—has greatly improved in temper and lost her sulkiness.
W.H., boy (Birley House), aged 10¼. Height on admission 120 cm., deficiency 8'5 cm. Weight on admission
18.2 kilo., deficiency 8'8 kilo. Condition on admission : Very thin, heart and lungs normal, back muscles weak ;
Chest—rickety deformities. Haemoglobin 80. Weight on leaving 24.9 kilo. Percentage increase in bodyweight
27. Increase in haemoglobin 10. Condition on leaving—Much improved.
F.G., boy (Birley House), aged 9½. Height on admission 135 cm., excess 10 cm. Weight on admission 27
kilo., excess 1 kilo. Haemoglobin 70. Weight on leaving 31 kilo. Percentage increase in bodyweight 15. Increase
in haemoglobin 10.
E.G., boy (Birley House), aged 8. Height on admission 111 cm., deficiency 7 cm. Weight on admission 19.7
kilo., deficiency 2'8 kilo. Haemoglobin 60. Pale, thin and debilitated, cervical glands enlarged. Weight on leaving
25.5 kilo. Percentage increase in bodyweight 29. Increase in haemoglobin 20, glands much smaller.
M.L., girl (Birley House) aged 8¾. Height on admission 135 cm., excess 13.5 cm. Weight on admission
27'2 kilo, excess 3.7 kilo. Haemoglobin on admission 70. Anaemic, slight chorea. Weight on leaving 30 9. Per
centage increase in bodyweight 13.5. Increase in haemoglobin 10. Chorea disappeared.