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35
Findings at Medical Inspections.
Malnutrition and Cleanliness.

Dr. A. Thomson, Assistant School Medical Officer,
reporting on liis impressions on mitrition and cleanliness
in Bromley during 1940, states: "It is necessary
to point out prior to the year under consideration I
had only a short time in which to make observations
on the children on my arrival in Bromley. To attempt
any comparison, therefore, involves making use of statistical
figures, never a reliable method since so many
errors and variation of methods keep intruding themselves.
As regards the nutrition of the children, my
opinion, in comparison with my previous experience, is
that the standard is good in Bromley, as indeed it ought
to be, since no physically fit child should go without
food in our present society. There are some children
who are below par, but I believe the cause in these cases
will be found in one or more of three essential factors,
namely, bad management in the home, inter-current
disease or hereditary. I do not think the environmental
factor assumes great importance in a borough such as
ours.
The question of cleanliness and vermin naturally
go hand in hand, and here my impressions probably
do not agree with official figures. This is probably due
to the fact that I tend to view this from a very high
standard, in fact one might say the idealistic point of
view.