London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Barking 1934
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Barking]
This page requires JavaScript
97
A summary of the following-up work undertaken by your School Nurses is given
herewith:—
Number of visits to schools re medical inspection 350
Total number of visits to schools 479
Number of home visits in connection with:—
| 1930 | 1931 | 1932 | 1933 | 1934 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4,480 | 4,817 | 6,786 | ||
| 295 | 408 | 230 | ||
| (c) Cleanliness inspections 119 | 119 | 284 | 827 | |
| 35 | 51 | |||
| (e) Dental inspections 406 | 477 | — | — | |
| (/) Miscellaneous | — | — | 418 |
The mere summary that the above shows is but an imperfect picture of the
full story of how your cases are what is commonly known as "followed-up."
The fact that Mr. F. Goodaker, Chief Investigation Officer, works for the Maternity
and Child Welfare Sub-Committee as well as for the Education Committee has
led to considerable unification.
You have your own Infectious Diseases Hospital and notes from this hospital
are transferred to your school records. Mr. N. Bastable, Chief Sanitary Inspector,
and the other Sanitary Inspectors are constantly collaborating with the Health
Visitors and School Nurses so that between one and the other there are few children
in Barking who are not known to the Department.
(7) ARRANGEMENTS FOR TREATMENT.
Many of the conditions found at school medical inspection are able to be treated
in Barking. Some conditions, however, of necessity require hospital treatment.
(a) Malnutrition.—Cases of malnutrition may be (i) normal children in abnormal
environment, (ii) abnormal children in ordinary environment.