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 1960
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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Of the children medically inspected 0.6 per cent. were noted for treatment of squint, the same as in 1957, 1958 and 1959. The percentage ranged from 1.4 in the entrant group to 0.1 in the leaver group.
| Age Group | Boys | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Not wearing spectacles | Wearing spectacles | ||||||||
| 6/6 | 6/9 | 6/12 or worse | Referred for treatment | 6/6 | 6/9 | 6/12 or worse | Referred for treatment | ||
| Under 7 | 76.4 | 14.9 | 7.3 | 6.4 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.9 | 0.2 | |
| 7 | 780 | 12.3 | 6.1 | 5.7 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 1.8 | 1.2 | |
| 8 | 80.5 | 9.6 | 5.8 | 5.8 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 1.7 | 1.4 | |
| 9 | 80.2 | 8.2 | 6.1 | 6.1 | 2.1 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 1.4 | |
| 10 | 81.9 | 6.0 | 7.7 | 7.4 | 1.7 | 0.6 | 2.1 | 1.6 | |
| 11 | 80.8 | 5.0 | 6.2 | 6.0 | 3.5 | 2.1 | 2.4 | 3.1 | |
| 12 | 80.5 | 6.1 | 5.8 | 5.8 | 3.7 | 2.0 | 1.9 | 2.5 | |
| 13 | 81.0 | 4.6 | 5.3 | 5.2 | 4.3 | 2.3 | 2.5 | 3.5 | |
| 14 | 79.2 | 4.4 | 6.3 | 5.6 | 5.2 | 2.1 | 2.8 | 3.4 | |
| 15 and over | 77.5 | 4.4 | 6.1 | 5.2 | 6.5 | 3.1 | 2.4 | 3.7 | |
| Total | 79.2 | 6.8 | 6.1 | 5.7 | 3.8 | 2.0 | 2.1 | 2.6 | |
| Girls | |||||||||
| Under 7 | 75.2 | 15.1 | 7.1 | 6.5 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 0.5 | |
| 7 | 77.2 | 12.2 | 7.0 | 6.9 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 1.2 | |
| 8 | 78.9 | 11.1 | 5.5 | 5.8 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.6 | |
| 9 | 80.5 | 8.3 | 6.7 | 6.2 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 1.5 | 1.5 | |
| 10 | 77.4 | 9.7 | 7.3 | 7.4 | 2.3 | 1.3 | 2.0 | 1.9 | |
| 11 | 76.3 | 7.2 | 6.2 | 7.2 | 4.5 | 2.8 | 3.0 | 4.0 | |
| 12 | 77.6 | 6.4 | 6.3 | 6.7 | 4.4 | 2.5 | 2.8 | 3.1 | |
| 13 | 76.5 | 5.9 | 5.5 | 6.2 | 6.0 | 3.5 | 2.6 | 4.8 | |
| 14 | 78.1 | 5.4 | 5.5 | 6.2 | 5.1 | 3.3 | 2.6 | 4.0 | |
| 15 and over | 73.9 | 5.5 | 6.0 | 6.2 | 7.1 | 4.0 | 3.5 | 4.5 | |
| Total | 76.5 | 7.8 | 6.1 | 6.4 | 4.3 | 2.7 | 2.6 | 3.1 | |
note: The percentages of children referred for treatment differ slightly from those quoted in the defects for
treatment table on page 95 in which the percentages were based on the number of children medically inspected.
Personal hygiene
As was foreshadowed in my report last year, the use of Lorexane No. 3 cream hair
shampoo for cleansing at home was introduced throughout the whole of the county during
January. There is no doubt that the scheme is a success; not only has there been a marked
fall in the number of attendances at bathing centres, but what is more important, there was
a steep fall in the rate of infestation, as measured by the number of pupils found to be
'verminous ' on inspection in school by the school health visitors.
Health surveys—As stated last year, the hygiene inspection of each child once a term
was replaced in January, 1959 by an annual comprehensive health survey of each pupil,
plus such additional health surveys as may be thought necessary or desirable at selected
individual schools or departments. Details of findings at these surveys in 1960 follow,
with 1959 results in brackets:
99
G*