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 1965
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Ealing]
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health and nutrition and, in particular, flowing from this, the greatly diminished
incidence of ophthalmic infections and constitutional disorders such as phlyctenular
conjunctivitis. Secondly, the high proportion of children who suffer from squint
and amblyopia, a congenitally installed disorder of largely unknown or theoretical
etiology, notoriously resistant to cure by present day therapeutic measures. Thirdly,
the great repugnance of children to the wearing of glasses, epitomised by the young
lady of 12 who declared that she would not wear glasses because if she did she would
lose her boy-friend.
Report on school children examined at Mattock Lane
and Ravenor Park School Clinics for the year 1965
The total number of cases seen was 904, of which 227 were new cases and 677
were re-inspections.
The number of pairs of glasses prescribed was 474.
Abnormal eye conditions other than errors of refraction were as follows:—
| New cases | Old cases | |
|---|---|---|
| Congenital abnormalities: | ||
| Squint | 32 | 124 |
| Congenital nystagmus | 3 | 3 |
| Ptosis | 2 | 2 |
| Cataract | 2 | 1 |
| Occlusion nasal duct | 1 | — |
| Defective extra-ocular muscles | 1 | 1 |
| Absence of punctum | — | 1 |
| Malignant myopia | 1 | — |
| Ectopia lentis—Marfans syndrome | 1 | — |
| Abnormalities due to infection: | ||
| Toxoplasmosis | — | 2 |
| Toxocara macular degeneration | 1 | — |
| Conjunctivitis | 1 | — |
| Meibomian cyst | 1 | — |
| Blepharitis | 1 | 1 |
| Hordeolum | 2 | — |
| Abnormalities due to trauma: | ||
| Cataract | 1 | — |
| Corneal nebula | 1 | — |
| Abnormalities of unknown etiology: | ||
| Optic neuritis | 1 | — |
Ophthalmic sessions are carried out at the following Clinics:
| Avenue Road | Wednesday a.m. |
| Northcote | Thursday p.m. |
| Ravenor Park | Tuesday a.m. |
| Mattock Lane | Wednesday a.m. |
Keystone School Vision Screener
The Keystone Vision Screener, a relative innovation, was used in eye testing during
the year, both during routine medical inspections and vision screening of the 7 +
age groups at schools in the Hanwell, West Ealing and Southall areas.
The apparatus was used exclusively by two school nurses, who now have
considerable experience in its operation and prefer this method to previous methods
of eye testing. The advantages are that lighting and distance are fixed. The former
is a variable quantity in all schools, even under good conditions, and the latter
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