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 1944
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for East Ham]
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60
(a) Uncleanliness.
The School Nurses have carried out cleanliness surveys of all
children in the elementary schools during the year 1944. On the
whole the high standard of personal hygiene has been maintained.
Reference has been made to the measures adopted in order to prevent
the introduction of infection into the schools and the School Nurses are
exercising the utmost vigilance during cleanliness surveys.
COMPARATIVE TABLE.
| Year | Number Examined | Number with Nits | Number with Head Vermin | Number of Exclusion Certificates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940 | 10,503 | 216 | 17 | 15 |
| 1941 | 12,107 | 178 | 23 | 91 |
| 1942 | 15,769 | 549 | 54 | 98 |
| 1943 | 28,427 | 1,044 | 93 | 93 |
| 1944 | 22,573 | 584 | 68 | 68 |
(b) Minor Ailments.
Having regard to the increased number of children inspected, the
incidence of minor ailments is not unduly high.
(c) Tonsils and Adenoids.
3.2 per cent. of the children examined during the year were
referred for treatment for "tonsils and adenoids", either separately or
combined, as compared with 10.15 per cent. in the year 1943.
(d) Tuberculosis.
| Boys | Girls | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pulmonary Tuberculosis | 24 | 20 | 44 |
| Other forms of Tuberculosis | 22 | 8 | 30 |
| 46 | 28 | 74 |
(e) Skin Disease and (f) External Eye Disease.
At medical inspections during the year 24 children were found to
be suffering from skin affections (as compared with 91 in the year 1943)
and 4 cases of external eye disease were discovered (as compared with
5 in the year 1943)