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 1913
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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Report of the County Medical Officer—Education. 117
In cases recorded as suffering from malnutrition the growth of the child is retarded both
in height and weight.
Heights and
weights in
relationship
to
malnutrition.
The following table shows the average height and weight of children aged 5, 8, and 11¼ .12¼ years of age who have been noted as suffering from malnutrition compared with school children generally.
| Ago 5 Years. | Ago 8 Years. | Ago ll¼.12½. Years. | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ht. | Wt. | I* | Ht. | Wt. | I* | Ht. | Wt. | I* | |
| Average child | 103.5 | 16.9 | .163 | 118.4 | 21.9 | .185 | 136.6 | 30.6 | .224 |
| Malnutrition case | 97.28 | 13.14 | .135 | 110.88 | 18.50 | .167 | 129.86 | 25.11 | .193 |
* I=Index of kilogram of Wt. per centimetre of Ht.
It will be noticed that with the increase of age there is an increase of the kilogram per
centimetre index for children recorded as suffering from malnutrition, to about the same extent as
among ordinary children, though the average height and weight, and the kilogram per centimetre
index are considerably lower among the former class at each age.
The following table relates to 145 children aged ll¼.12¼ who were reported by the school doctor as requiring special investigation as to nutrition, and shows the relationship of weights and heights among elementary school children (boys and girls) generally, and among these 145 children.
| Average Height. | Average Weight. | Average Height. | AverageWeight. | Average Height. | Average Weight. | Average Height. | Average Weight. | Average Height. | Average Weight. | Average Height. | Average Weight. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| c.m. | k.g. | c.m. | k.g. | c.m. | k.g. | c.m. | k.g. | c.m. | k.g. | c.m. | k.g. | |
| Boys. All | 122.74 | 25.04 | 127.40 | 27.06 | 132.18 | 28.89 | 137.03 | 30.97 | 141.66 | 33.38 | ||
| „ Ill.nourished only | 117.00 | 22.00 | 121.85 | 23.00 | 126.95 | 25.33 | 131.56 | 26.78 | 136.70 | 27.90 | 142.33 | 29.77 |
| Girls All | 122.65 | 24.85 | 127.43 | 26.31 | 132.24 | 28.39 | 136.94 | 30.32 | 141.84 | 32.71 | ||
| Ill.nourished only | 117.00 | 22.50 | 121.50 | 22.84 | 126.80 | 23.40 | 131.80 | 25.80 | 137.20 | 27.75 | 141.30 | 32.0 |
Nose and Throat.— The presence of enlarged tonsils and adenoid growths was noted [as shown
in the table below. As regards the column relating to treatment of these conditions, it should be
noted that the removal is invariably effected in one operation, therefore the figures for treatment for
the two detects are combined, a case of enlarged tonsils and adenoids being counted as one case m column 5.
| Cases of Enlarged Tonsils. | Percentage of children examined. | Adenoids. | Percentage of children examined. | Cases of Tonsils or Adenoids for treatment | Per cent. of cases examined. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entrants | Boys | 5,478 | 13.7 | 3,863 | 9.7 | 3,316 | 8.3 |
| Girls | 5,218 | 13.2 | 3,102 | 7.8 | 2,945 | 7.4 | |
| 8.9 | Boys | 3,523 | 11.1 | 2,122 | 6.7 | 1,942 | 6.1 |
| „ | Girls„ | 4,011 | 12.8 | 1,831 | 5.9 | 1,956 | 6.3 |
| Leavers. | Boys | 2,626 | 9.7 | 1,326 | 4.9 | 1,447 | 5.3 |
| „ | Girls | 3,250 | 11.8 . | 1,226 | 4.5 | 1,590 | 5.8 |
The percentage of cases of adenoids and enlarged tonsils declines in the higher age groups and
to some extent this is due to the fact that many of the children of the older ages were treated for this
complaint when younger. There appears to be a slightly higher incidence of adenoids amongst boys ;
but, as regards enlarged tonsils, in the later age groups a larger proportion of girls were affected.
Considerable variation is shown in the tables with regard to the percentages of children noted
as suffering from these defects in various districts. In Holborn the proportion of cases noted as
having enlarged tonsils was as high as 30 per cent, of the cases examined, but these no doubt included
many very slight cases. The proportion of cases noted for treatment in this borough, 4.2 per cent.,
is below the general average for London. In comparing one district with another it is always
difficult to eliminate the personal factor; for instance, one doctor will note slight degrees of
enlargement of tonsils which another might ignore; the figures for treatment may be taken as
a safer basis for comparison as the standards adopted are naturally more uniform.
Other diseases of the nose such as rhinitis and mouth-breathing (when not associated with
adenoids) were reported in 7,440 cases, or 3.8 per cent, of the cases examined, of these 1,180 were
referred for treatment. The cases were more numerous among boys than among girls and the
incidence highest on the lowest age group, decreasing as the age increased.