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
Ealing 1931
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Ealing]
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"The reasons for performing refraction were different in these two groups. Thus in Group 1 (three or more dioptres) these were as follows :—
| Diminished Visual Acuity | 15 |
| ' Blinking ' | 1 |
| "In the second group there was a variety of reasons :— | |
| Diminished Visual Acuity | 39 |
| Headache | 12 |
| Styes | 6 |
| Conjunctivitis | 5 |
| Blepharitis | 4 |
| Diplopia | 2 |
| Watering | 2 |
| Migraine | 1 |
| 71 | |
"It is an interesting question why children whose eyes are
in the normal condition for their years should suffer from such
symptoms which are often rapidly relieved by the wearing of
glasses. Careful examination of the records suggests that in many
cases degrees of hypermetropic astigmatism, too slight to be
revealed by the method of classification used, are the real source
of trouble."
(g) Ear Disease and Hearing.—Of 147 children with ear
defects who received treatment, 93 were treated at the Health
Centres.
(h) Dental Defects.—As will be gleaned from the following
report of the School Dentist, Mr. C. Colenso, L.D.S., most satisfactory
work was performed during the year ; in fact, it was the
first year in which all the work which had to be done in dentally
inspecting and treating the children was accomplished.