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 1938
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for East Ham]
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131
(a) Uncleanliness.
The School Nurses have carried out three cleanliness surveys
of all children in the elementary schools during the year 1938.
During the year the School Nurses made 40,821 examinations,
as compared with 41,725 in 1937. Of this number 153 children
showed vermin and many nits in the hair (146 in 1937), whilst
1,144 children showed only a few nits (1,349 in 1937).
Comparative table
| Year | Number Examined | Number with Nits | Number with Head Vermin | No. of Exclusion Certificates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1934 | 47,550 | 776 | 140 | 151 |
| 1935 | 45,356 | 1,854 | 140 | 174 |
| 1936 | 44,145 | 1,354 | 157 | 101 |
| 1937 | 41,725 | 1,349 | 146 | 136 |
| 1938 | 40,821 | 1,144 | 153 | 317 |
In addition to the routine general cleanliness surveys, some
hundreds of children have been examined at the request of the
authorities of the Children's Country Holiday Fund and other
voluntary organisations. These examinations have been conducted
just prior to the departure of the children for summer holiday
camps, convalescent homes, etc.