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
Leyton 1933
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Leyton]
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184
Associated Defects.
Five hundred and nineteen cases in this investigation suffered
from defects other than abnormalities of the naso-pharynx. The
defects are tabulated in Table VI. The small incidence of these
defects (found in only 19 per cent, of the whole group), bears out
the impression one had already formed as the result of school
medical inspection, viz., that many children with enlarged and
sometimes unhealthy tonsils and adenoids are not affected in their
general health. It also emphasises the conclusion already stated,
that observation for some time can be advised in most cases of
tonsillar defects.
Table VI.
| Defects. | I. | Groups. | IV. | V. | Total Defects. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| II. | III. | No. | Percentage. | ||||
| Bronchitis | 32 | 65 | 15 | 1 | 6 | 119 | 23% |
| Catarrh | 24 | 51 | 15 | 4 | 1 | 95 | 18% |
| Tonsilitis | 18 | 43 | 16 | — | 3 | 80 | 15% |
| Debility | 11 | 23 | 7 | — | 6 | 47 | 10% |
| Colds | 4 | 21 | 9 | — | 5 | 39 | 8% |
| Rheumatism | 8 | 18 | 4 | — | 2 | 32 | 6% |
| Deafness | 8 | 13 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 32 | 6% |
| Otorrhœa | 12 | 14 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 32 | 6% |
| Earache | 5 | 7 | 2 | — | — | 14 | 3% |
| Poor nutrition | 2 | 6 | 5 | — | — | 13 | 2% |
| Ansemia | 2 | 4 | 2 | — | — | 8 | 1.5% |
| Other defects | 4 | 2 | 1 | — | 1 | 8 | 1.5% |
| Total defects in each group | 130 | 267 | 82 | 10 | 30 | 519 | |
| Percentage defects in each group | 20% | 18% | 19% | 34°/ | 24% | ||
An examination of the table reveals the following facts:—
Bronchitis is the commonest defect, and accounts for 23 per
cent of the whole number. It is more frequent in the slighter tonsillar
defects. In the latter respect it differs from tonsilitis, catarrh,
debility and colds, which are all proportionately more common
in Group III than in Groups I and II.
Deafness and catarrh are the commonest defects found in
Group IV (the nasal obstruction group), a fact which one would
expect. Septic tonsils seem to play an important part in causing
debility and the tendency to frequent colds found in some children.
The position occupied by otorrhcea in this investigation is
rather surprising. Only 6 per cent, of the defects are attributable