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
East Ham 1925
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for East Ham]
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74
It will be noted that there is again a reduction in the percentage
of children suffering from verminous conditions, but unfortunately
there is an increase in the percentage of cases showing
the presence of nits, and, as pointed out in my report for the
year 1924, great credit is due to the School Nurses, whose untiring
efforts have been entirely responsible for ensuring that the increased
number of potential cases has resulted in a diminished incidence of
active cases.
(6) Minor Ailments.
As has been the case in former years few minor ailments
Such
| Chief Minor Ailments | Discovered at Routine Medical Inspection. | Discovered by Teachers and Nurses and sent to Clinic | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1924 | 1925 | 1924 | 1925 | |
| Scabies | 3 | 3 | 17 | 15 |
| Impetigo | 11 | 30 | 287 | 462 |
| Conjunctivitis | — | 72 | 64 | |
| Blepharitis | 9 | 7 | 50 | |
| Ear Disease | 83 | 225 | 239 | |
| Ringworm (Scalp) | 2 | 3 | 53 | 47 |
| Ringworm (Body) | 3 | 5 | 56 | 59 |
(c) Tonsils and Adenoids.
3.5 per cent. of the children examined during the year
were referred for treatment for " tonsils and adenoids," either
separate or combined, as compared with 3.95 per cent. in the year
1924. Of these, much enlarged tonsils accounted for 0.8 per
cent. ; definite adenoids were present in 0.3 per cent., and the
combined defect was diagnosed in 2.4 per cent.; the figures for
1924 were 0.5 per cent., 0.39 per cent., and 3.06 per cent.
respectively.
The percentage of children moderately affected and requiring
to be kept under observation was 13.1, the corresponding percentage
in 1924 being 9.83. In this case 10.8 per cent. had moderately
enlarged tonsils, 0.9 per cent. exhibited signs of the presence