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

Croydon 1935

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Croydon]

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Table: Table X.CHILDREN EXAMINED AT ROUTINE INSPECTIONS AND FOUND TO REQUIRE TREATMENT (EXCLUDING UNCLEANLINESS AND DENTAL DEFECTS).

Table X.

CHILDREN EXAMINED AT ROUTINE INSPECTIONS AND FOUND TO REQUIRE TREATMENT (EXCLUDING UNCLEANLINESS AND DENTAL DEFECTS).

Group.No. of Children Inspected.No. referred for treatmentPercentage referred for treatment.Corresponding percentage for 1934.
Entrants385959015.313.0
Intermediates276254719.814.4
Leavers170836021.115.7
Other Ages13215.426.7
8342149918.014.2

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The fact that 15.3 per cent. of children examined shortly after
entering school at 5 years of age required treatment of some kind
is an adverse commentary upon the lack of any systematic medical
and dental supervision of the pre-school child. To leave medical
and dental supervision in the hands of parents has been proved
repeatedly to be insufficient. A parent cannot be expected to
recognise those early departures from health which, if dealt with
promptly, are easily put right. When a noticeable breakdown
happens, the child is taken to a doctor, who endeavours to remedy
a condition which should never have occurred. In other cases
the departure from normal is so insidious that irreparable consequences
have supervened before the parent notices anything amiss.
Initial slight defects, if unremedied, often lead to further defects
as the child grows.