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 1936
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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One hundred and forty-two applicants for appointment to the permanent service failed to pass the medical examination for the following reasons:—
| Males | Females | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Defective hearing and ear disease | 1 | 7 | 8 |
| Defective vision and eye diseases | 13 | 11 | 24 |
| Poor physique and deformities | 9 | 13 | 22 |
| Cardio-vascular disease | 9 | 10 | 19 |
| Varicose veins | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| Rheumatism | 3 | 4 | 7 |
| Genito-urinary disease | 2 | 6 | 8 |
| Tuberculosis and lung diseases | 4 | 16 | 20 |
| Nervous disorders | 1 | 13 | 14 |
| Diseases of bones and joints | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| †(Miscellaneous | 4 | 8 | 12 |
| Total | 52 | 90 | 142 |
† Including, in the males, two cases of hernia, and one each of gout and hœmatemesis, and in the
females, six of Graves's disease and one each of dermatitis and peritonitis.
As a result of the examinations of the staff, 347 officers were deemed to be permanently unfit to carry out their ordinary duties in the service of the Council on the following grounds :—
| Cardio-vascular disease | 60 | 48 | 108 |
| Diseases of the bones and joints | 21 | 14 | 35 |
| Disability following trauma | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Pulmonary tuberculosis | 16 | 13 | 29 |
| Diseases of the lungs other than pulmonary tuberculosis | 17 | 13 | 30 |
| Malignant disease | 3 | 6 | 9 |
| Gastro-intestinal disorder | 5 | — | 5 |
| Renal disease | 5 | 1 | 6 |
| Functional nervous disorder | 18 | 28 | 46 |
| Organic nervous disorder | 7 | 1 | 8 |
| Senile decay | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| Post-operative disability | 3 | 4 | 7 |
| Sight and hearing defect | 6 | 7 | 13 |
| Endocrine disorder | — | 3 | 3 |
| Varicose veins and ulceration | 3 | 5 | 8 |
| Rheumatism | 6 | 9 | 15 |
| Skin disease | 1 | 6 | 7 |
| *Miscellaneous | 5 | 5 | 10 |
| Total | 181 | 166 | 347 |
* Including, in the males, two cases each of diabetes and anaemia and one of hernia, and in the females
one case each of diabetes, hernia, anaemia, enteroptosis and pyrexia of unknown origin.
In July, 1936, the Council approved a scheme for providing pensions to spouses
and dependents of contributors to the superannuation and provident fund. It is
a condition before part of the pension can be allocated to the spouse that the officer
about to retire on pension must have a normal expectation of life; hence the need
for medical examination. Ten applicants for admission to the scheme were examined
during the remainder of the year, and of these two were rejected 011 medical grounds.
Work done in the bacteriological laboratory at County Hall
The investigations carried out during the year 1936 are summarised below
under the various headings. The work undertaken in this laboratory is chiefly
associated with the control of infectious diseases in the Council's day and residential
schools; in addition a certain amount of bacteriological investigation is carried
out on material such as water, milk, etc., submitted to the Council's chemist for
analysis. Examinations made also include sundry material, e.g., sputa and urines
sent for report by the Council's examining medical officer (from Council employees,
school children and others.)