London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Ealing 1953
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Ealing]
This page requires JavaScript
Numbers Examined.
| First Age Group | 3,295 |
| Second Age Group | 2,530 |
| Third Age Group | 1,586 |
| Total | 7,411 |
Classification of General Condition.
| A. | Good | 2,681 |
| B. | Fair | 4,673 |
| C. | Poor | 57 |
| Total | 7,411 |
Defects requiring Treatment found at Routine Medical Inspections.
| 1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skin diseases | 617 | 695 | 600 | 540 |
| Defective Vision | 358 | 433 | 368 | 290 |
| Squint | 24 | 49 | 31 | 43 |
| Defects of hearing | 36 | 51 | 73 | 93 |
| Middle Ear disease | 33 | 26 | 26 | 18 |
| Nose and Throat | 350 | 389 | 339 | 377 |
| Speech | 33 | 47 | 29 | 37 |
| Enlarged glands | 5 | 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Heart and Circulation | 5 | 13 | 6 | 7 |
| Lung Diseases | 35 | 111 | 107 | 84 |
| Hernia | 1 | 4 | 4 | 7 |
| Postural Defects | 17 | 30 | 40 | 18 |
| Flat Foot | 86 | 91 | 60 | 42 |
| Epilepsy | — | 3 | 1 | 1 |
T.B. patch testing for all school entrants was introduced in
November. By the end of the year 51 positive reactors were found
from the 1383 children examined and were X-rayed at the local
Chest Clinic. No positive X-ray reports were made but 6 cases are
to be given further examinations within three months of the first
X-ray.
ASTHMA CLINIC.
The Asthma Clinic which started in April 1951 has become very
popular with the general practioners as well as the assistant school
medical officers. During the year 2,795 attendances were made.
Many children who formerly would have been sent to convalescence
or open-air school have benefited to such an extent that this has
become unnecessary.
The clinic is primarily concerned with the provision of remedial
breathing exercises. A specially trained physiotherapist taking
classes of about ten children at a time gives instruction in correct
diaphragmatic breathing which is continued in the child's own
home. The doctor in charge makes allergy tests and when