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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164
Applications for special consideration owing to wounds, etc., of teachers
demobilised from H.M. Forces.
Claims received from teachers and others in the permanent service for
exceptional treatment, as regards sick pay and reimbursement of medical and
other expenses, in respect of illnesses alleged to be due to the conditions under
which they may have been required to carry out their duties.
The number of cases dealt with was 3,695. The major part of these were teachers,
of whom 598 were men and 2,735 women. In connection with sick leave, 62 per
cent. of the teachers were over 40 years of age; this figure corresponds with that
of the previous year.
Dr. Fairfield's
report
on infirmities
leading to a
premature
termination
of the
services of
teachers.
Dr. Fairfield has made a preliminary survey of the infirmities which have led to a premature termination of the teacher's career, either by death or disablement, in the year ended 31st December, 1925, among the 19,874 teachers (6,126 men, 13,748 women) in the service of the Council. The following table shows the infirmities which led to death:—
| Morbid condition. | Æ. 40— | Æ. 50— | Æ. 60— | All ages. | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M. | F. | M. | F. | M. | F- | M. | F. | M. | F. | M. | F. | |
| Respiratory dis. non. T.B. | — | — | 1 | — | — | 2 | — | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
| Pulmonary T.B. | _ | _ | 4 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | 1 | |
| Influenza | _ | _ | 1 | — | — | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | — | 4 | 4 |
| Nervous system | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | — |
| Rheumatism | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | 1 |
| Digestive system | —- | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | — | 1 | 4 | 4 |
| Circulatory system | —- | 1 | — | 4 | — | 1 | 4 | |||||
| Accidents* | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 2 | 2 | — | — | 4 | 3 |
| Cancer | __ | _ | _ | 1 | 2 | 2 | — | 4 | — | 1 | 2 | 8 |
| Cause unknown | — | — | — | — | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | — | 5 | 4 | |
| Total | 1 | 1 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 15 | 9 | 14 | 6 | 3 | 27 | 35 |
| 2 | 10 | 18 | 23 | 9 | 62 | |||||||
*Two under the age of 30 were drowned.
During the year there were 73 teachers who broke down prematurely, and the morbid conditions are shown in the following table:—
| Morbid condition. | Æ. 20— | Æ. 30— | Æ. 50-54. | Æ. 55—59. | All ages. | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M. | F. | M. | F- | M. | F. | M. | F- | M. | F. | M. | F. | |
| Respiratory dis., non T.B. | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — | 2 |
| Pulmonary 7.B. | — | — | 1 | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 2 |
| Nervous diseases— Organic. | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| Functional* | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 13 |
| Rheumatism | — | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 2 | 1 |
| Digestive system | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | 3 |
| Circulatory system | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 5 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 15 |
| Cancer | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | 1 |
| Aural | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 5 | — | 2 | 1 | 7 |
| Ophtdalmic | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | — | — | 1 | 2 |
| Miscellaneous! | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| Total | — | — | 1 | 2 | 4 | 11 | 7 | 24 | 5 | 19 | 17 | 56 |
| — | 3 | 15 | 31 | 24 | 73 | |||||||
* 7 Insanity. † 2 Osteo arthritis; one each, Grave's disease. Hodgkin's disease, kidney disease,
and pernicious anaemia.