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
Willesden 1938
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Willesden]
This page requires JavaScript
48
THE EIGHTH ANNUAL REPORT
on
NURSERY CLASSES AND NURSERY SCHOOLS
for the
Year ending 31st December, 1938.
At the end of 1938 there were 12 Nursery Classes at 11 Public Elementary Schools and 1
Nursery School.
The Curzon Crescent Nursery School was opened on 28th November, 1938, and is the first
Nursery School to be established in Willesden. Medical inspection was not'commenced at this School
until 1939.
During the year, 266 children were examined and the following table shows the numbers and percentages of defects found:—
Table No. 37.
| Age Period. | 2 years. | 3 years. | 4 years. | 5 years. | Total. | Percentage. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of children inspected | 4 | 121 | 136 | 5 | 266 | |
| Malnutrition (including slight degrees) | — | 14 | 12 | — | 26 | 9.8 |
| Skin conditions | — | 9 | 5 | — | 14 | 5.3 |
| Eyes—Blepharitis and Conjunctivitis | — | 1 | 2 | — | 3 | 3.8 |
| Squint | — | 2 | 5 | — | 7 | |
| Other conditions | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Ears, Otitis Media | — | 1 | 3 | — | 4 | 1.5 |
| Nose and Throat—Enlarged tonsils or adenoids or both | 1 | 37 | 36 | 1 | 75 | 28.2 |
| Enlarged cervical glands | — | 3 | 9 | — | 12 | 4.5 |
| Teeth—Dental diseases | — | 14 | 32 | 2 | 48 | 18.0 |
| Heart and circulation (including anaemia) | — | 3 | 5 | — | 8 | 3.0 |
| Lung Disease (non.tubercular) | — | 10 | 3 | — | 13 | 4.9 |
| Nervous system (including functional conditions) | _ | 7 | 8 | _ | 15 | 5.6 |
| Deformities—Rickets | — | 1 | 1 | — | 2 | 0.8 |
| Others | 3 | 7 | 13 | 2 | 25 | 9.4 |
| Other defects | — | 8 | 7 | — | 15 | 5.6 |
Twenty-six children were found nitty or verminous at the school cleanliness inspections.
During the year children attending the Nursery Classes were followed up in respect of 394 defects.
Two hundred and seventeen of these defects were treated under the Council's scheme, 11 were
treated otherwise, 64 received domestic treatment only, 83 were untreated at the end of the year and
19 did not need treatment or were lost sight of.