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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The majority of children suffering from skin disease and external
eye disease were dealt with before entry or re-entry to school, which
accounts for the fact that less than 1 per cent. of such cases were discovered
at routine medical inspections.
(g) Vision.
Only children with marked visual defect have been referred for
treatment and these, including cases of strabismus, numbered 52. In
addition, there were 14 children in whom there was evidence of a
lesser degree of visual defect and these are being kept under
observation.
(h) Ear Disease and Hearing.
0.62 per cent. of the children examined were found to be suffering
from otitis media (0.87 per cent. in 1943). The percentage of deaf
children was 0.24, the corresponding figure for last year being 0.87.
(i) Dental Defects.
The percentage of children found, as the result of dental inspection
in the schools, to be in need of dental treatment was 55.65 per cent.,
as compared with 57.11 per cent. for last year.
(j) Nutrition.
No children were found at the routine medical inspection to be
suffering from malnutrition in any degree. (See Table II.)
The following table gives a comparative statement in regard to the nutrition of school children during the past five years:—
| Year | Number of Children Inspected | Excellent | Normal | Slightly Subnormal | Bad | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | ||
| 1940 | 3,888 | 509 | 13.09 | 3,354 | 86.26 | 25 | 0.64 | — | – |
| 1941 | 5,526 | 1,124 | 20,34 | 4,350 | 78.71 | 52 | 0.95 | – | – |
| 1942 | 3,803 | 694 | 18.3 | 3,096 | 81.4 | 13 | 0.3 | — | – |
| 1943 | 4,453 | 446 | 10.01 | 4,000 | 89.83 | 7 | 0.16 | – | – |
| 1944 | 2,471 | 301 | 12.2 | 2,162 | 87.48 | 8 | 0.32 | – | – |
INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
The incidence of chicken-pox, diphtheria, whooping cough and
mumps was below the average and less than last year.