Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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older age groups ; increased incidence in the younger age groups accounted in the
main for increases in the figures for lung disease (not tuberculous), orthopaedic defects
and anaemia.
Nutrition
The classification of general condition as found at routine medical inspections was:—
A—Good | B—Fair | C—Poor | |
---|---|---|---|
% | % | % | |
1947 | 42.0 | 54.3 | 3.7 |
1948 | 40.8 | 56.0 | 3.2 |
1949 | 41.8 | 55.1 | 3.1 |
1950 | 46.3 | 50.9 | 2.8 |
The percentages of children referred for treatment or observation on account of nutrition were :—
1947 | 1948 | 1949 | 1950 | |
---|---|---|---|---|
% | % | % | % | |
Referred for | ||||
(1) Treatment | 1.1 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 |
(2) Observation | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 0.7 |
Total | 1.6 | 1.5 | 1.7 | 1.7 |
These figures show a fairly stable fraction.
An analysis of height and weight measurements made during the year showed
no significant deviations from those of the 1949 survey, (Council publication No.
3692/1950) which revealed substantial improvement on pre-war figures, and was
summarised in the 1949 Annual Report.
Cleanliness
Percentages of children found to have vermin in the hair at routine inspections during 1950, with corresponding figures for 1947, 1948 and 1949, follow :—
1947 | 1948 | 1949 | 1950 | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Entrants | Boys | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.2 |
Girls | 1.5 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 0.2 | |
7 years old | Boys | 0.9 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.1 |
Girls | 2.1 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 0.3 | |
11 years old | Boys | 0.9 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.2 |
Girls | 2.3 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 0.4 | |
All ages | Boys | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.1 |
Girls | 1.8 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 0.3 |
The improvement noted in 1949 was maintained in 1950. Naturally, the personal
hygiene of pupils is shown at its best at routine inspections as parents are notified in
advance of the day of inspection. Even so the results year by year are strictly
comparable and the table below, showing an improvement in the percentage of
verminous children found at the nurses' monthly inspections, confirms the results
of the routine medical inspections :—
Total number of inspections | Number found to be verminous | Percentage found to be verminous | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1947 | 1948 | 1949 | 1950 | |||
Infants | 480,925 | 13,121 | 4.7 | 3.9 | 3.4 | 2.7 |
Boys (aged 7 yrs. and over) | 446,680 | 7,740 | 2.5 | 21 | 1.9 | 1.7 |
Girls (aged 7 yrs. and over) | 501,178 | 25,151 | 7.5 | 6.4 | 6.1 | 5.0 |
Total | 1,428,783 | 46,012 | 4.9 | 4.2 | 3.8 | 3.2 |