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 1966
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Croydon]
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32
Juvenile Employment Return
The following numbers of children were examined by the medical officers during 1966 as to their fitness to undertake the part-time employment indicated.
| 1966 | 1965 | 1964 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delivery of Goods for Shopkeepers | 30 | 57 | 39 |
| Delivery of Newspapers | 193 | 202 | 222 |
| Delivery of Milk | 4 | 5 | 4 |
| Shop Assistants | 76 | 83 | 81 |
| 303 | 347 | 346 |
Provision of Meals and Milk
During 1966 all milk was supplied free of charge and approximately
33,900 children per day received one-third of a pint each in Maintained
Schools. This was equal to 57% of children attending in Secondary
Schools, and 92% in Junior Schools, and Infants 97%.
Since 1st September, 1957, milk has also been supplied by the
Education Committee to children in the Non-Maintained Schools in accordance
with instructions from the Ministry of Education. Approximately
6,900 bottles per day are supplied to the Non-Maintained Schools.
All milk supplied is pasteurised, and the sources of supply are subject
to the approval and constant supervision of the Medical Officer of
Health.
The number of meals supplied daily to children during 1966 was
approximately 29,000.
Cost of Milk and Meals
Meals and Milk cost £793,234. Income from payment for meals was
£264,130, making a net cost of £529,104, on which grant is paid of 100
per cent. on approved expenditure.
Causes of Death in School Children
From the weekly returns of the local Registrar it is possible to
abstract the causes of death of all school children. There were 15 in
1966 equal to a death rate to this group of 0.3 per thousand.
The details were
Accidental 5
Asthma 3
Chronic Bronchitis 2
Cancer 1