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 1948
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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74
Infectious diseases in schools
Day schools
The numbers of infectious cases reported from the day schools during the year
are shown on page 126.
The numbers of schools kept under observation during 1948 by school nursing sisters on account of the principal infectious diseases are shown in the following table:—
| Diphtheria | Scarlet fever | Measles | Whooping-cough | Chicken-pox | Mumps | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | 81 | 339 | 122 | 145 | 170 | 875 | |
Diphtheria
immunisation
When necessary, special visits were made by assistant school medical officers.
Comments on this service will be found on page 42.
Scalp
ringworm
During the year there was a marked f a l ling on in the number o f cases o f scalp ringworm as indicated in the following table:—
| Year | New cases | Cured cases | Cases outstanding at end of year | Percentage of cures effected by X-ray treatment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1938 | 194 | 206 | 44 | 83 |
| 1945 | 200 | 152 | 55 | 78 |
| 1946 | 311 | 266 | 100 | 82 |
| 1947 | 191 | 245 | 45 | 78 |
| 1948 | 81 | 110 | 16 | 65 |
Residential
establishments
for
children
There were no cases of scalp ringworm, but there were 13 of body ringworm
among children in residential schools and children's homes.
A majority of the Council's residential schools are equipped with a Wood's lamp
and periodic screening of all contacts is immediately instituted on the occurrence of
a case of scalp ringworm. This, with other preventive measures, has in the past
resulted in immediate control.
Premises
Psychiatric service in remand homes
In April of this year Marlesford Lodge was closed and the girls transferred to
Stamford House which thereafter, as a temporary expedient, housed both girls and
boys.
Staff
On May 1st, Dr. A. P. Rossiter Lewis handed over to Dr. P. Scott, who was
appointed on a basis of 2/3 full-time to be responsible for the psychiatric work of the
Remand Home, and to supervise the work of the two psychologists. The team was
completed in September by the appointment of Mrs. S. McConville as psychiatric
social worker.
The information available for a given case is now extensive and forms an
adequate picture of the background and present status of the individual. The work
of the psychiatric social worker is largely intra-mural so that she supplements and
does not replace the usual probation officers' reports.
Statistics
Reports made
Boys , Girls Total Percentage
Psychiatric report
Special Physical (Medical officer or Gynaecologist)
General Psychological (Remand Home Staff and
Psychologist)
Conduct report (Superintendent and Remand
Home Staff)
Total
632 168 800 56.7
45 79 124 8.8
29 1 30 2.1
71 11 82 5.8
777 259 1,036 73.5