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 1962

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]

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Table: There can be little doubt that these reductions are directly attributable to the introduction of Lorexane.

There can be little doubt that these reductions are directly attributable to the introduction of Lorexane.

19581959196019611962
Scabies Pupils treated768660637514458
Vermin Pupils treated7,4737,0253,4412,2651,983
Treatments needed13,64711,7994,3452,7642,422
Impetigo Pupils treated1,4781,1871,0201,033903
Ringworm New cases22201076

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Employment of schoolchildren
Medical examinations were carried out divisionally of 4,226 children with a view to the
issue of employment certificates and 399 medical examinations were carried out at the
County Hall in respect of employment under licence in public entertainments.
Choice of employment
The percentage of school leavers advised against particular forms of employment was
13.3 per cent. of those inspected, the same as that for 1961. For boys the figure rose from
14.2 per cent. in 1961 to 14.6 per cent. but for girls it fell from 12.3 per cent. to 11.9 per
cent. As in recent years, normally acute vision headed the list of contra-indications followed
by colour vision (boys only) and heavy manual work:
Contra-indications Boys Girls
Occupations involving:
Heavy manual work 272 176
Sedentary work 14 13
Indoor work 14 13
Exposure to bad weather 141 145
Wide changes of temperature 92 73
Work in damp atmosphere 115 107
Work in dusty atmosphere 186 130
Much stooping 49 48
Work near moving machinery 105 85
Prolonged standing, much walking or quick movement from
place to place 251 227
Normally acute vision 1,942 1,928
Normal colour vision 541 7
Normal use of hands 24 13
Work requiring freedom from damp hands and skin defects 37 27
Handling or preparation of food 35 34
Normal hearing 85 71
note: An individual may be noted for two or more contra-indications.
Infectious diseases in schools
When a pupil is absent from school and the cause is either known or suspected to be due
to infectious disease, the head of the school notifies the divisional medical officer and the
borough medical officer of health.
These notifications are uncorrected for diagnosis but form the best available index of
the trend of infectious disease in the school community; they are the only figures available
in respect of diseases which are not statutorily notifiable.
When the number of cases of infectious disease reported from a particular school
indicates the possibility of an outbreak, special visits are made by a school health visitor
and, if necessary, by a school doctor, in order to investigate the situation and take whatever
control action is necessary.
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