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
Willesden 1933
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Willesden]
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13
Health Visiting and Medical Inspection of Children between the Ages of
1 and 5 years.
The practice described under this heading on page 9 of the Annual Report for 1931 was continued
during the current year. The aims and methods adopted were outlined on pages 9 and 10 of the Annual
Report for 1932.
Findings of Medical Inspections.—The following table shows the numbers and percentages
of individual defccts found in 504 children examined during the year.
Table No. 7.
| Age Period. | 18 months. | 2 years. | 3 years. | 4 years. | Total. | Percentage. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of children inspected | 165 | 151 | 122 | 66 | 504 | |
| Malnutrition (including slight degrees) | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 17 | 3.4 |
| Skin Conditions | 17 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 35 | 6.9 |
| Eyes—Blepharitis and Conjunctivitis | — | 3 | 1 | - | ||
| Squint | 1 | — | — | - | 8 | 1.6 |
| Other conditions | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | ||
| Ears—Otitis media | 3 | 5 | — | 8 | 1.6 | |
| Nose and Throat—Enlarged tonsils or adenoids or both | 23 | 27 | 30 | 15 | 95 | 18.8 |
| Enlarged cervical glands | 2 | 7 | 7 | 2 | 18 | 3.6 |
| Teeth—Dental diseases | 11 | 12 | 22 | 16 | 61 | 12.1 |
| Heart and Circulation including anaemia | 3 | 11 | 6 | 7 | 27 | 5.4 |
| Lung disease (non tubercular) | 4 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 16 | 3.2 |
| Nervous system (including functional conditions) | 5 | 7 | 3 | _ | 15 | 3.0 |
| Deformities—Rickets | 20 | 12 | 10 | 4 | 46 | 9.1 |
| Others | 14 | 20 | 20 | 5 | 59 | 11.7 |
| Other Defects | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 13 | 2.6 |
Ophthalmia Neonatorum.— The number of cases of this disease notified during the year
was 20, as against 28 last year, giving a case rate of 7.5 per 1,000 registered live births. A private
doctor attended at the confinement in 4 cases, a midwife in 5 cases, and 11 cases were born in hospital.
Treatment was obtained at a hospital in 7 cases, at the Municipal Centres in 5 cases, and by a private
doctor at home in 8 cases. Complete recovery with unimpaired vision occurred in 17 cases. 1 case
died from epilepsy and convulsions and in 2 cases the result of treatment was not ascertained.
23 cases of inflammation of or discharge from the eyes of infants or of cases of ophthalmia
neonatorum entering Willesden after notification elsewhere were visited by the Health Nurses. All
recovered without any permanent injury to the eyes.
Teaching of Mothercraft at the Centres.
An important part of the work of each Health Centre is its Mothercraft Section.
This is in special charge of one Health Visitor at each Centre, and holds its sessions in the
afternoons.
The work has proceeded on the same lines as outlined on page 10 of the 1931 Annual report.
During 1933,550 Mothercraft sessions were held, with 5,297 attendances of mothers, and 5,268
attendances at the nurseries. This gives an average of 9.6 attendances of Mothers per session.
387 individual mothers attended.
THE SCHOOL MEDICAL SERVICE.
Schools.—There are 36 public elementary schools in the district. Of this number 24 are
Council and 12 church or non-provided schools.
Included in the number of the Council schools are 2 special schools, 1 for mentally defective
and 1 for physically defective children.