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 1968
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Croydon]
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opportunity has been created for every child to have a consultation with an
Ophthalmologist when a vision defect is first suspected, whilst retaining
the right to select an optician of his choice if the provision of spectacles
is ultimately recommended.
Table 6. Summary of Findings at Routine Inspections of Vision
| Boys | Girls | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number Examined | Number of defects | % | Number Examined | Number of defects | % | |
| Entrants | 2,815 | 376 | 13.4 | 2,638 | 367 | 13.9 |
| 8 year old group | 2,451 | 368 | 15.0 | 2,403 | 417 | 17.4 |
| Entrants to Secondary Schools | 1,889 | 382 | 20.2 | 1,915 | 454 | 23.7 |
| 13 year old group | 2,198 | 509 | 23.2 | 2,085 | 469 | 22.5 |
| Final leavers | 1,802 | 331 | 18.4 | 1,885 | 397 | 21.1 |
| Totals (All age groups) | 11,155 | 1,966 | 17.6 | 10,926 | 2,104 | 19.3 |
Defects of Ears, Nose and Throat
The number of children found to be suffering or to have suffered from
middle ear disease (otitis media) continues to show no sign of reduction.
Previous Reports (1966 page 13 1967 page 13) have drawn attention to
the slow but steady increase in this serious condition, which may have
long term sequelae. Although antibiotics have largely eliminated the
dangers of acute infection, they have left other problems whose long term
resolution is not yet clear.
The audiometric standard used for the sweep test of hearing was
changed in 1967 so that comparisons with earlier years are no longer
valid. Despite staff changes during the year a further increase occurred
in the number of sweep tests of hearing. During the last two years there
has been a 42% increase in the number of tests conducted and a corresponding
but less marked increase (27%) in the number of audiometric tests.
This remarkable increase in productivity should not obscure the increasing
work load in the Audiology Service.
Defects of Heart and Circulation
There was no significant change in the pattern of these defects during
the year.