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 1925
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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151
believed by some that there is an increased prevalence of rheumatism in dry seasons
in places which are relatively damp. The distribution of heart and rheumatic
cases in the P.D. schools is indicated on the map on page 125.
Also, it has been noted that more cases come to notice in some years than
others—e.g., there was a marked increase in the numbers during 1923. There has
been a distinct increase in the numbers admitted to special schools since 1908; this
may, to some extent, represent a real increase in the number affected, but, in large
part, is to be explained by the more sympathetic attitude to and better understanding
of the nature and use of special schools by the medical profession,
especially by the hospital physicians. Formerly, children with heart disease
were kept out of school altogether, for long periods, on unimpeachable certificates;
now, it is commoner for the physician to suggest that his little patient might
attend a P.D. school, or in some cases, residential institutions.
Juvenile
delinquents.
Dr. F.C. Shrubsall, senior medical officer, who visited America during the
Summer recess of 1924, and whose report on mental examinations in places of
detention appeared in the annual report for 1924 (pp. 112 to 120) gave evidence
before the Departmental Committee on the Treatment of Young Offenders.
After careers
reported by
the London
Association
for the Care of
the Mentally
Defective.
The after careers of children formerly attending special (mentally defective) schools are here set out.
| Male. | Female. | Total. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| (i.) Number of children born in or subsequent to 1907 who have left special schools and who have been on the books of the Association | 1,007 | 785 | 1,792 |
| (ii.) Since died | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| (iii.) Number known to be incapable by reason of mental or physical defect of undertaking employment— | |||
| (a) Notified and sent to institutions | 8 | 5 | 13 |
| (6) Notified and placed under supervision | 17 | 11 | 28 |
| (c) Not certifiable (i.e., home circumstances satisfactory at present) | 52 | 59 | 111 |
| (iv.) Number employed in— | |||
| (a) Industrial or manual occupations (i.e., factory work, trade or any part of a trade) | 441 | 280 | 721 |
| (b) Agricultural or rural occupations | 11 | 2 | 13 |
| (c) Domestio occupations | 9 | 190 | 199 |
| (d) Commercial, shop assistants or selling behind a counter, office boys or girls | 27 | 7 | 34 |
| (e) Army or navy | 5 | — | 5 |
| (/) Blind alley or other precarious occupations (i.e., vanboys, newsboys, errand boys and girls, selling from a barrow) | 121 | 7 | 128 |
| (v.) Judged to be employable but out of work | 113 | 76 | 189 |
| (vi.) Number whose careers have not been traced or who have left the neighbourhood | 201 | 145 | 346 |
| (vii.) No action possible | 1 | 2 | 3 |
The blind, deaf and crippled cases were notified to the After Care Association
for blind, deaf and crippled children, who have hitherto furnished information in
regard thoreto. The Association were approached with a view to obtaining data
for this report, and the information will be forwarded to the Board in due course.
Nursery Schools.
There are in London eleven Nursery Schools. Of these, two belong to the
London County Council and nine are voluntary. The total accommodation is for
518 children, the average number on roll during the year 1925 being approximately
580.
In five schools routine medical inspection of the children is carried out by
Council doctors, and in the remaining six by practitioners appointed by the Managers.
In nine small schools with total accommodation for 288, children are medically
examined once a term. In the Rachel McMillan Schools (L.C.C. and Voluntary),