London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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London County Council 1931

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]

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Work still remains to be done, however, in following up for a longer period all the children
who leave, in order to find out how many are able to do work that is of real value. Records
of after history have been obtained from the heads of two schools, in one case of a group of 43
children, and in the other of a group of 12 boys.
Of the 43 children in the first group, four had died ; six had had new attacks of rheumatic
fever, leaving them unfit for work ; one child suffering from congenital heart trouble, who had
previously been doing well at tailoring, had been seriously ill, and will be unfit for work in the
future; one was definitely unsatisfactory with regard to work; and three had removed from the
district, no details being obtainable. Of the 28 children remaining, 16 were girls, and 12 boys.
Of the girls, two had had further relapses, but were again working; one, although well,
was out of work; and three (one suffering from congenital heart trouble) were considered very
delicate but were working. Two were married, and there was one child, which was quite healthy,
in each case. The employments followed were dressmaking (seven girls), office work, lampshade
making, envelope folding, embroidery, making cellophane cases for tooth-brushes, etc. The
average income, based on eleven cases where the wages were known, was 22s. 4d. a week.
Of the boys two had had further relapses, but were again working; and a third was very
ill in hospital with pneumonia at the time that the report was given and was not expected to
live. One was married. The trades followed were fitter's mate (motor engineer), electrician's
mate, librarian, bootmaking, apprenticed to a surveyor, office work (2) and tailoring (4). The
average income, based on eight cases where the wages were known, was 22s. a week.
Of the 12 boys mentioned in the second series, three had had further relapses, but were
again in work, and one had died. Two had won scholarships to the City of London College,
where they had done very well, and they had afterwards taken up office work; 6 had been placed
in situations by the After-Care Association, one by the school, and the others had found work
for themselves. The trades followed were: light handicrafts (3), clerical work (3), tailoring (3),
bootmaking, printing and woodwork. The wages earned were not mentioned except in one
case (bootmaking and leatherwork), when it was £2 10s. a week.

Infectious diseases in schools. The numbers of cases of infectious illness reported by the teachers as occurring amongst school children during 1931, compared with similar figures reported during the preceding five years, are shown below :—

Year.DiphtheriaScarlet fever.Measles and German measles.Whooping cough.Chicken-pox.Mumps.Scabies.Ophthalmia.Ringworm.
19265,6345,87234,7785,53412,76911,897694606937
19275,0976,4988,1198,38717,35813,876820492831
19285,1787,50541,8918,59213,6575,744901408707
19295,0817,46219,31312,07612,34614,010932644610
19305,2977,55834,2513,23913,5739,439930506503
19313,2025,6263,8119,01913,5985,6851,068889434

The number of cases of smallpox notified amongst school children during the
year was 604, compared with 1,774 in 1930.
Particulars of all children excluded or absent from school on account of infectious
illness, and suspected infectious illness, or of infection in the homes, are circulated on
a prescribed form by the head teachers to the school medical officer, divisional
officers (school attendance) and borough medical officers of health. If it appears
from the information supplied that infection is spreading or is likely to spread
amongst the children in the schools, arrangements are made for the special examination
of the children by members of the school medical or school nursing staff. In
certain cases the daily surveillance of the children for a definite period is undertaken
by the school nursing staff.
A handbook is issued, for the information and guidance of the teaching and other
staffs concerned, on the general subject of the control of infectious diseases in the
schools. It contains notes on the commoner infectious diseases and advice relating
to the precautions to be taken in the schools to prevent the spread of infection,
together with the regulations to be observed with regard to the exclusion and
re-admission of the children concerned.
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