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 1934
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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| Year of birth. | Number. | State of Nutrition. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Excellent. | 2 Normal. | 3 Slightly sub-normal. | 4 Malnourished. | ||
| 1920 | 6 | 1 | 5 | — | — |
| 1921 | 28 | 8 | 20 | — | — |
| 1922 | 25 | 7 | 18 | — | — |
| 1923 | 30 | 3 | 27 | — | — |
| 1924 | 31 | 9 | 22 | — | — |
| 1925 | 45 | 8 | 35 | 2 | — |
| 1926 | 31 | 8 | 23 | — | — |
| 1927 | 17 | 3 | 14 | — | — |
| 1928 | 12 | 2 | 9 | 1 | — |
| 1929 | 7 | 3 | 4 | — | — |
| Total | 232 | 52 | 177 | *3 | — |
| Percentage | — | 22.4 | 76.3 | 1.3 | — |
*In these cases it was found that milk did not suit the children and convalescence
or reference to hospital for treatment was advised.
The range of years of commencement of the above "official" meals was from 1927 to 1934.
The subjoined table shows the comparative state of nutrition of 6,284 boys and girls in the
current and discharged groups, the percentages being given in italics:—
Table 31.
| Group. | State of nutrition. | Border-line cases. | Total. | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1/2 | 2/3 | 3/4 | ||
| Discharged boys | 35 | 164 | 4 | 203 | ||||
| Current boys | 75 | 1,688 | 984 | 18 | 5 | 207 | 2,977 | |
| Discharged girls | 52 | 177 | 3 | 232 | ||||
| Current girls | 67 | 1,668 | 883 | 19 | 4 | 230 | 1 | 2,872 |
| Total | 229 | 3,697 | 1,874 | 37 | 9 | 437 | 1 | 6,284 |
| Percentage | ||||||||
It will be noted that a small percentage of children with " excellent" nutrition continued to
receive milk. These were children whose parents were unable to pay for milk in school, and who
were formerly of poor nutrition.
The school doctors noted the progress of the children, and their remarks have been collected
into three groups or classes which are:—
Group A.—Those with the best progress.
Group B.—Those with fair, " average " or slight progress.
Group C.—Unsatisfactory.
Particulars in regard to children who continue to receive milk are set out below:—
Table 32.
| Sex. | A. Definite improvement. | B. Slight improvement. | C. Stationary or unsatisfactory. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | Per cent. | Number | Per cent. | Number | Per cent. | |
| Boys | 1,656 | 60.1 | 877 | 31.9 | 219 | 8.0 |
| Girls | 1,674 | 62.5 | 834 | 31.2 | 168 | 6.3 |