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
Leyton 1937
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Leyton]
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193
Effect on Hæ
moglobin Content of Blood.
As an additional aid to the objective assessment of the results
of treatment it was decided, early in 1937, to estimate the amount
of haemoglobin present in the blood of children before and after a
course of artificial sunlight. Some 121 children were tested, and
of these 82 (68 per cent.) had less than 95 per cent, and 62 (51 per
cent.) had less than 90 per cent, haemoglobin.
The following table gives the information in tabular form.
| Haemoglobin per cent. | 60—64 | 65—69 | 70—74 | 75—79 | 80—84 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. of children | — | 1 | 2 | 11 | 20 |
| Haemoglobin per cent. | 85—89 | 90—94 | 95—99 | 100+ | Total. |
| No. of children | 28 | 20 | 10 | 29 | 121 |
Anaemia was found most often in debilitated children. Of the
48 debilitated children tested, 35 (73 per cent.) had less than 95 percent.
of haemoglobin and 31 (65 per cent.) had less than 90 percent.
haemoglobin. The numbers here reviewed are too few to permit
of a definite opinion being formed, but they do suggest that a
haemoglobin estimation should be made in all "debilitated" children.
The degree of anaemia, the number of children and the diseases for which they were treated are given in the following table:—
| Disease. | Number of Children tested. | Percentage of haemoglobin present in blood. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 95% or over. | 90—94 | Under 90 | Total. | ||
| Colds | 10 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 10 |
| Stves | 12 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 12 |
| Boils | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
| Blepharitis | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 8 |
| Adenitis | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 6 |
| Asthma | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 |
| Bronchitis | 11 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 11 |
| Rheumatism | 9 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 9 |
| Skin conditions | 6 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Debility | 48 | 13 | 4 | 31 | 48 |
| Totals | 121 | 39 (32%) | 20 (17%) | 62 (51%) | 121 |
Of the 121 children tested, 71 were re-tested. Of the 50
children not re-tested, 29 had an initial haemoglobin level of 100