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 1937
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Croydon]
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266
Nose and Throat.
In all the groups 695 boys and 836 girls had enlarged tonsils;
31 boys and 25 girls had adenoids only; 350 boys and 376 girls had
adenoids and enlarged tonsils; 120 boys and 111 girls were mouth
breathers; 766 boys and 594 girls exhibited enlarged glands in the
neck.
Of all children examined at Routine Medical Inspection, in the
Entrant group 15.0 per cent. had enlarged tonsils; 0.8 per cent.
had adenoids alone; 15.3 per cent. enlarged tonsils and adenoids;
and 14.0 per cent. had enlargement of the submaxillary or cervical
glands. In the Intermediate group the respective percentages were
25.5 per cent., 10.4 per cent., 7.7 per cent., and 23.9 per cent.; and
in the Leaver group, 18.8 per cent., 0.1 per cent., 2.3 per cent.,
and 14.4 per cent. The percentages for the three groups in relation
to the total number of children examined, were 18.8 per cent.,
0.7 per cent., 9.1 per cent., and 16.7 per cent.
Table
Table IV.
Summary.
| Group. | * Nose and Throat Defects. | Enlarged Glands. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boys. | Girls. | Boys. | Girls. | |
| Entrants | 33.3 | 33.8 | 17.1 | 11.0 |
| Intermediates | 33.2 | 39.0 | 26.3 | 21.8 |
| Leavers | 22.5 | 23.2 | 17.8 | 10.9 |
| Other Ages | 37.6 | 30.8 | 24.8 | 18.3 |
* Does not include mouth breathers, but includes other defects of nose and
throat.
Defective Hearing.
The commonest causes of deafness in children are middle ear
disease and adenoids. Routine medical inspection showed that 0.2
per cent. Entrants, 0.7 per cent. Intermediates, and 0.7 per cent
Leavers in the children examined had defective hearing. The
report on the work done in the Ear Clinic is given on page 47.