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
Woolwich 1930
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Woolwich]
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| Disease, Defect or Condition. | Boys. | Girls. | Total. | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age last Birthday. | Age last Birthday. | ||||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | ||
| Nose and Throat— | |||||||||
| Enlarged Tonsils | 5 | 87 | 33 | 9 | 3 | 49 | 36 | 12 | 234 |
| Enlarged Tonsils and Adenoids | |||||||||
| Adenoids | |||||||||
| Enlarged Cervical Glands | — | 5 | 9 | 2 | — | 3 | 4 | 3 | 26 |
| Teeth— | |||||||||
| Caries | 1 | 12 | 27 | 8 | — | 10 | 18 | 13 | 89 |
| Hypoplasia | — | 3 | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | 5 |
| Heart and Circulation— | |||||||||
| Heart Disease—Organic and Functional | 1 | 16 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 9 | 3 | 51 |
| Anaemia | 1 | 23 | 18 | 3 | 5 | 21 | 17 | 7 | 95 |
| Lungs— | |||||||||
| Bronchitis | 1 | 8 | 2 | — | 1 | 6 | 4 | — | 22 |
| Other Diseases | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Nervous System- | |||||||||
| "Nervous" Children | 1 | 19 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 8 | 2 | 50 |
| Chorea | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Other Defects & Diseases | 104 | ||||||||
| Rickets—Past or Present | 4 | 41 | 16 | 4 | 2 | 27 | 5 | 5 | |
| Rheumatism | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| Deformities | — | 4 | — | 1 | — | 2 | 1 | — | 8 8 |
| Defective Speech | — | 1 | 4 | 1 | — | 1 | — | 1 | |
| Others | — | 3 | — | — | — | 3 | 1 | — | 7 |
| Total Children Examined | 11 | 149 | 78 | 18 | 13 | 110 | 67 | 26 | 472 |
The numbers examined do not permit of more than a very general survey.
Nutrition.—The nutrition of the children appeared, on the whole, satisfactory,
especially having regard to present economic conditions. In fact, the
figures for 'below average' cases were Dot greater than those for 'malnutrition'
in many previous investigations published, chiefly in America, where most of the
specialised 'nutrition' work has been carried out. Including cases of thinness as
well as true malnutrition, of which there were few, the percentages of 'below
average' cases were 24 in the case of boys, and 28 in the case of girls. The figures
do not indicate ill-health, and are not to be considered incompatible with the London
County Council's figures, namely, 6 per cent. 'malnutrition' amongst school
children, as these would appear to be Fourth Grade cases according to the London
County Council's classification, in which under-nourishment was considerable.