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 1932
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for East Ham]
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146
1931. Of these, much enlarged tonsils accounted for 1.19 per
cent.; definite adenoids were present in 0.07 per cent., and the
combined defect was diagnosed in 2.47 per cent.; the figures for
1931 were 1.2 per cent., 0.2 per cent., and 3.2 per cent.,
respectively.
The percentage of children moderately affected and requiring
to be kept under observation was 12.1, the corresponding percentage
in 1931 being 10.6. In this case 11.6 per cent. had moderately
enlarged tonsils, 0.2 per cent. exhibited signs of the presence
of adenoids, whilst 0.3 per cent. showed enlarged tonsils and
adenoids of moderate degree, as compared with 10.0 per cent.,
0.2 per cent., and 0.4 per cent., respectively in the year 1931.
(d) Tuberculosis.
The total number of cases of tuberculosis, occurring in children of school age, notified to the Medical Officer of Health during the year, was as follows:—
| Boys. | Girls. | Total. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pulmonary Tuberculosis | 7 | 5 | 12 |
| Other forms of Tuberculosis | 13 | 8 | 21 |
| Totals | 20 | 13 | 33 |
(e) Skin Disease and (f) External Eye Disease.
The number of these cases still remains high. At medical
inspections during the year 450 children were found to be suffering
from skin affections (as compared with 526 in the year 1931).
Cases of external eye disease also continue to show a high incidence,
160 in the year 1932 and 154 in the year 1931.
(g) Vision.
Only children with marked visual defect have been referred
for treatment and these, including cases of strabismus, numbered
609. In addition there were 123 children in whom there was
evidence of a lesser degree of visual defect and these are being
kept under observation. (See report of Ophthalmic Surgeon on
p. 171.)