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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In addition to the above, 148 examinations were made of scholars (49 male,
99 female) with a view to determining their fitness to continue to hold awards,
and of these 8 (2 male, 6 female) were found to be unfit.
Re-examinations totalling 1,792, were made of entrants, scholars, etc., who
were referred at the first examination for treatment for one or more remediable
defects.
The total number of examinations was 9,231.
Cases
specially
referred.
There were also referred to the public health department 3,513 special cases in
which medical advice was required. This figure includes 3,079 teachers (599 men,
2,480 women) and 434 schoolkeepers, cleaners, etc. (107 men, 327 women).
In regard to recommendations governing sick leave to teachers, 2,015 or 71 per
cent, of the teachers concerned were over 40 years of age; this shows a decrease of
1 per cent. on that of the previous year.
In connection with these cases, 18 home visits were paid during the year.
Health of
teachers.
The records for the years 1930 to 1934 (inclusive), of the deaths and premature
retirements on account of ill-health, occurring among the teaching staff in
elementary,excluding special, schools, have been specially examined by Dr. J. G.
Duncan and Dr. A. C. Williams.
Deaths
of teachers.
The causes of death and age at death are set out below:—
Table 53.
| Disease | Age | Total | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20-29 | 30-39 | 40-49 | 50-54 | 55-59 | 60— | |||||||||
| M | F | M | F | M | F | M | F | M | F | M | F | M | F | |
| Respiratory system— | ||||||||||||||
| Tuberculous | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | 11 | 7 |
| Non-tuberculous | 2 | - | 1 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 17 | 16 |
| Influenza | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 |
| Organic nervous disease | — | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 17 |
| Gastro-intestinal disease | — | — | — | 3 | 5 | 3 | 3 | — | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 13 | 12 |
| Circulatory diseases | — | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 11 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 18 | 28 |
| Septicaemia | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | 7 |
| Cancer, etc. | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | 8 | 4 | 15 | 3 | 9 | - | 2 | 9 | 35 |
| Accidents | 2 | _ | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 4 | — | 4 | 2 | - | — | 13 | 8 |
| Kidney | — | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | — | 8 | 4 |
| Operations (site unknown) | — | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | 2 | — | — | 3 | 8 |
| *Miscellaneous | — | 1 | — | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 5 | 6 |
| Cause unknown | — | — | — | 2 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | — | 14 | 14 |
| Total | 7 | 7 | 8 | 19 | 32 | 53 | 29 | 37 | 29 | 34 | 14 | 15 | 119 | 165 |
| Deaths at all ages—Yearly average | 23.8 | 33.0 | ||||||||||||
*One case each of anaemia, debility, scarlet fever, streptococcal infection, diphtheria and
lymphatic leukaemia, two cases of diabetes and three of death following childbirth.
In 19 cases the teachers died from operations for known conditions and these
have been entered under the appropriate heading.