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 1937
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Ealing]
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81
The history of 113 cases of otitis media attending the Clinic
was enquired into with a view to ascertaining the cause of the
disease.
The results were as follows :—
| No ascertainable cause | 63 |
| Common Cold | 15 |
| Scarlet Fever | 13 |
| Measles | 15 |
| Chicken Pox | 1 |
| Influenza | 1 |
| Whooping Cough | 2 |
| After removal of Tonsils and Adenoids | 3 |
| Total | 113 |
From the figures it is seen that in 63 cases no ascertainable
cause was found which leads one to conclude that the cause in
the greater number of these was probably the "common cold.''
During the year 31 children with ear disease were recommended
to have the tonsils and adenoids removed as part of the treatment
of the ear condition. Of this number 15 either refused to have
this done or were awaiting operation at the end of the year. Of the
16 who had the operation, 5 suffered from chronic otitis media,
6 suffered from catarrhal otitis media, and 5 were recovering from
acute otitis media.
An enquiry into the duration of otitis media prior to attendance of children at the Clinic revealed the following facts in 162 cases :—
| Duration of 1 week | 22 |
| ,, ,, 1 month | 24 |
| ,, ,, 3 months | 12 |
| ,, „ 6 months | 5 |
| ,, „ 1 year | 7 |
| ,, „ 2 years | 14 |
| ,, „ 3 years | 10 |
| ,, „ 4 years | 9 |
| ,, „ 5 years | 6 |
| ,, ,, more than 5 years | 40 |
| Period indefinite | 13 |