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 1935
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for East Ham]
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The following percentage analysis of the totals is shown for the purpose of comparison between the two schools :—
| CORNWELL | KENSINGTON | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Not having School Meals or Milk | Having School Meals or Milk | Not having School Meals or Milk | Having School Meals or Milk | ||||||||||||
| 29.9% | 70.1% | 30.7% | 69.3% | ||||||||||||
| A | B | C | D | A | B | C | D | A | B | C | D | A | B | C | D |
| 18.1 % | 73.7 % | 8.2 % | 0 | 14 % | 82.5 % | 2.8 % | 0.7 % | 39.4 % | 59 % | 1.6 % | 0 | 25 % | 70 % | 5 % | 0 |
Of the 403 scholars examined, only one child showed a serious
degree of malnutrition (0.2 per cent.); she is suffering from
rickets and under observation and treatment at the School Clinic.
Seventeen children were considered to be slightly subnormal
in nutrition (4.2 per cent.); eleven of these children were receiving
school meals or milk and four were attending the School Clinic
for anaemia, adenitis, bronchial catarrh and rheumatic heart condition
respectively.
It will be seen by the foregoing figures that the present survey
definitely confirms the statistics supplied to the Committee in
April, 1934. (See Annual Report, 1934).
Periodical surveys might in certain instances result in the
earlier recognition of subnormal nutrition; to carry out such surveys,
however, twice a year, would necessitate the services of a
medical officer for 120 sessions per annum, which I submit is impracticable
without additional staff.