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 1945
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Willesden]
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Table No. 10.
Treatment of Scabies and Lice at the Treatment Clinic, 1945.
| No. of New Cases Treated. | Total No. of Attendances Made. | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| For Scabies. | For Lice and Nits. | Total. | For Scabies. | For Lice and Nits. | Total. | |
| Children under 5 years | 481 | 29 | 510 | 1,624† | 44 | 1,668 |
| Children 5-14 years | 722 | 196 | 918 | 3,215* | 240 | 3,455 |
| Adults | M. 279 | M. 11 | M. 290 | 3,485‡ | 155 | 3,640 |
| W. 90 | W. 100 | W. 1,001 | ||||
| Totals | 2,386 | 336 | 2,722 | 8,324 | 439 | 8,763 |
† 75 of these attendances were made for the inspection of contacts who on inspection were found not to be
suffering. Such contacts, nevertheless, usually receive treatment.
* 91 of these attendances were made for the inspection of contacts who on inspection were found not to be
suffering. Such contacts, nevertheless, usually receive treatment.
‡ 219 of these attendances were made for the inspection of contacts who on inspection were found not to be
suffering. Such contacts, nevertheless, usually receive treatment.
SCHOOL CHILDREN.
Routine cleanliness inspections are held in each school department at least once a term and the Health Visitors
have continued to visit their schools weekly to re-examine children found nitty or verminous and to see cases specially
referred by the teachers. Every effort is made by home visitation to improve the standard of cleanliness of the family.
Cases of Lice and Scabies are treated at the Treatment Clinic or Health Centres where they are under the care of a
doctor and are referred to the Council's Skin Specialist as necessary.
Table No. 11.
Percentage of Children examined found Unclean at Routine Cleanliness Inspections.
| 1938 | 5.6 | 1941 | 5.2 | 1944 | 6.8 |
| 1939 | 5.0 | 1942 | 5.1 | 1945 | 6.5 |
| 1940 | 5.5 | 1943 | 6.1 |
Table No. 12.
Percentage of Individual Children examined found Unclean at Routine Cleanliness Inspections.
| 1938 | 3.8 | 1941 | 4.2 | 1944 | 5.2 |
| 1939 | 3.8 | 1942 | 4.2 | 1945 | 5.4 |
| 1940 | 4.2 | 1943 | 4.8 |
Table No. 13.
Total Number of Individual School Children Cleansed at the Authority's Clinics.
| 1938 | 379 | 1941 | 219 | 1944 | 246 |
| 1939 | 321 | 1942 | 189 | 1945 | 249 |
| 1940 | 476* | 1943 | 348 | ||
| * Increase largely due to cleansing immediately prior to evacuation. | |||||
Table No. 14.
Number of Cases of Scabies amongst School Children Treated at the Authority's Clinics.
| 1941 | 396 | 1943 | 1,228 | 1945 | 722 |
| 1942 | 725 | 1944 | 786 |
CHILDREN UNDER 5 YEARS OF AGE.
These generally come to light in connection with their elder brothers and sisters. In 1945, 481 were treated
at the Centres for Scabies, making 1,624 attendances, and 29 were treated for Lice, making 44 attendances. The
figures for 1944 were 402 treated for Scabies, making 1,235 attendances, and 55 treated for Lice, making 58 attendances,
and for 1943, 834 treated for Scabies, making 2,014 attendances, and 73 treated for Lice, making 73 attendances.
ADULTS.
The figures below indicate that there is a considerable increase in Lice and Scabies amongst adults, or in any
case that a greater number of adults suffering from these conditions are coming to the notice of the Health Department.