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
Barking 1925
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Barking]
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to the Boots Minor Sub-Committee, who considered applications
for the provision of boots in 133 cases, compared with 19 in
1924.
(d) Heights and Weights.—The following table gives the average heights and weights of children examined at the three undermentioned age periods in four of the schools, compared with the results at similar age periods in 1924.
| Age Period. | Average Height in inches. | Average Weight in pounds. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1924. | 1925. | 1924. | 1925. | |
| 5 years | 41.5 | 42.1 | 39.3 | 41.1 |
| 8 years | 48.1 | 49.05 | 52.4 | 54.1 |
| 12 years | 56.7 | 56.5 | 78.2 | 78.8 |
(e) Minor Ailments.—Minor ailments are seen daily at
9 a.m., excepting Sundays, at the Clinic premises in East Street
the staffing of this Clinic being provided by nurses of the Plaistow
Maternity Charity.
For particulars of cases treated, see Table IV, Group I.
Instances of uncleanliness found amongst children seen at
this Clinic were those excluded by teachers, school nurses, or
attendance officers prior to being re-admitted to school.
(f) Skin Disease.—Apart from two cases of psoriasis, the
remaining affections belonged to and were dealt with as minor
ailments.
(g) Eye Diseases.—Apart from errors of refraction, there
were few cases of. external eye disease, as the figures in Table II
show. Disorders of vision, however, were again prevalent, 97
children, or 4.1 percent., of those seen at routine inspection being
found suffering Irom vision so defective as to require treatment,
f his is a national as well as a local disaster, and is receiving the
attention at present of the Board of Education as well as that of
School Medical Officers throughout the country.