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

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London County Council 1932

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

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43
By the courtesy of the head master of the King's Canadian residential open-air Remedial
school, Bushy Park, I have received the following report of the remedial work work.
carried on for the benefit of the boys in residence:—
During the year 2,770 boys were in residence for periods of either four or six weeks; of
these 274 were granted an extension of either two or three weeks on the school doctor's recommendation.
The average increase in weight among the children who stayed 4 weeks was 2.8
nounds: for the six weeks period the averaee train was 4.1 rounds.

The school doctor selected 1,155 boys (41.6 per cent. of total entrants) for remedial exercises. These may be summarised as follows:—

Flat-foot, and kindred disabilities513
Defective breathing (including stammerers)117
Scoliosis (mainly postural)59
Kyphosis and round shoulders57
Various and general409

The system of treatment in small groups is used for the majority of cases, only those who
would appear to benefit from individual work, including a few heart cases, being excepted.
Flat-foot and kindred cases are taught a few corrective exercises, which are also printed on
cards for home use. Country dancing and boxing footwork are used as correctives. A form on
which particulars of selected cases are entered, together with a statement that home exercises
have been taught, has been brought into use. This form is attached to the usual medical card
thus assuring re-inspection at which progress may be noted and further treatment advised.
This procedure applies to cases of flat-foot, of which a large number are still received.
Other cases are treated for their disability, and supplied with cards of reminders but no
home exercises. All are given a course of quickening and strengthening exercises and examined
by the school doctor prior to departure.
During the last term trial was made of the Council's scheme of treatment for stammerers,
with marked success in 11 cases.

The following figures relating to the general health of the boys are interesting:—

Treatments given by school nurses for minor ailments18,936
Cases of infectious illness3
Other cases sent to hospital2
Admitted to sick ward and nursed here during the year19

On the dental side 1,151 boys received treatment—extractions, fillings, soalings and gum
treatment.
School journeys.
During the year 1932, 332 school journeys were made (compared with 449 in
1931), and the children taking part were medically examined in all cases before
departure. In all 10,753 children were examined (the corresponding figure for 1931
being 13,671); and of these 53 were rejected as unfit to take part in the
journeys on various grounds, including the following (the figures in parenthesis refer
to the year 1931):—otorrhœa, 4 (4); infectious disease or contacts, 2 (3); tonsillitis
and kindred ailments, 11 (15); temperature, 3 (3); personal hygiene, 3 (3); skin
diseases, 9 (13). Several children were provisionally rejected on grounds connected
with personal hygiene but were subsequently passed after visiting a bathing centre.
Nursery schools.
Dr. E. M. McVail reports that, at the beginning of the year 1932, the total
recognised nursery school accommodation in London was 1,064 places in 14 schools,
560 places being maintained and 504 aided. In 1932, this accommodation was
raised from 1,064 to 1,104 by the opening of St. Christopher's (aided) nursery school
in Bridgewater-street, St. Pancras.
In February, 1932, after 18 months' experience of the working of the experimental
schools at Columbia Market (Bethnal Green) and Old Church-road (Mile End)
it was decided as a temporary measure to write down the recognised accommodation
at each of these schools from 150 to 120 places, thus reducing the total recognised
accommodation to 1,044.
That the two experimental schools are filling a need in their neighbourhood is
evidenced by the fact that at each school there has been a waiting list of 25 to 30.
Preference for admission is given to children recommended by welfare centres and
school doctors, home conditions receiving due consideration. Reports indicate that
the children continue to derive great benefit from attendance.
At the Rachel McMillan nursery school, premises in the rear of Wellingtonstreet
were, in May, 1932, vacated and a new building for 50 children was opened on
D 2