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 1949
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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Statistics of the clinics held in hospitals in association with the Council's treatment scheme and in the school treatment centres were:—
| Type of centre | Number of new cases | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1938 | 1947 | 1948 | 1949 | |
| Vision | 37,359 | 29,344 | 31,377 | 32,292 |
| Ear, nose and throat | 12,726 | 2,344 | 3,281 | 4,154 |
| Minor ailment | 128,819 | 133,731 | 170,181 | 171,731 |
| Dental | 138,639 | 104,305 | 118,439 | 102,495 |
| E.N.T. (formerly specialear) | 1,830 | 1,520 | 1,691 | 1,689 |
| Rheumatism | 1,885 | 1,508 | 1,468 | 1,375 |
| Nutrition | 641 | 1,065 | 1,178 | 1,222 |
| Enuresis | — | — | 86 | 830 |
These figures show a general overall increase in the volume of work in 1949
with the exception of the dental centres. The shortage of school dental surgeons
as a result of resignations to participate in the general public dental service which
is remunerated on a piece-work basis, has had a serious effect on the "preventive"
services for school-children.
A more complete picture of the volume of work carried out at the centres and clinics can be obtained by consideration also of the total attendances, which are given below:—
| Type of centre | Attendances in 1949 |
|---|---|
| Vision | 79,777 |
| Minor ailment | 1,002,051 |
| Dental | 203,523 |
| E.N.T. (formerly special ear) | 7,945 |
| Rheumatism | 10,887 |
| Nutrition | 9,420 |
| Enuresis | 3,977 |
Scabies,
impetigo
and
ringworm
The number treated for scabies in 1949 was 2,173 as compared with 3,051 in
1948. Although a rise in the number of verminous individuals treated at bathing
centres is apparent in 1949 the number of treatments needed is far below that for
1948, which suggests that more of the "hard-core" cases are improving their
standard of hygiene.
The total number of cases treated for impetigo in 1949 at minor ailment centres
and bathing centres was 2,954 as against 4,857 in 1948, a considerable decrease.
The incidence of scalp ringworm continued to fall.
Vision
Spectacles for school pupils prescribed at school treatment centres continued to
be supplied under the provisions of the Supplementary Ophthalmic Services, pending
the development of the Hospital Eye Service. The arrangements provide for the
continuance of eye sessions at the Council's school treatment centres. At centres
within the areas of the North-West, South-East and South-West Metropolitan
Regional Hospital Boards, the refractionists, whose names must be on the
Executive Council's Ophthalmic List, are employed and paid by the Council, and
the London Executive Council reimburses the Council on a per capita basis ; those
employed at centres within the area of the North-East Metropolitan Regional
Hospital Board are appointed and remunerated by that Board.
By agreement with the Ophthalmic Services Committee of the London
Executive Council, the attendance at each session of an optician is continued, for
the convenience of parents, but it is made clear to them that they have freedom of
choice of optician for the child. The vast majority of the parents, however, avail
themselves of the services of the optician attending the centre.
Speech
therapy
At the end of 1949 there were 18 special classes for speech defects conducted
by part-time speech therapists under the supervision of a principal assistant medical