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
Ilford 1953
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Ilford]
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(b) a dental inspection of every pupil who is admitted for
the first time to a maintained school as soon as possible after
admission and on such later occasions as may be practicable and
necessary; and
(c) that the attention paid to the general health and welfare
of any pupil who is suffering from a disability of mind or body
shall include particular attention to his disability.
(2) So far as practicable, the parent of every day pupil shall be
given the opportunity of being present at any general medical inspection
and first dental inspection of his child.
(3) Medical and dental records in approved form shall be kept
for every pupil attending a maintained school.
During 1953 5,558 parents, or 79 per cent., attended the full routine
medical inspections.
Infectious Disease.—The following table shows the incidence of infectious diseases in the Ilford schools since 1949:—
| Scarlet Fever | Diphtheria | Measles and German Measles | Chicken Pox | Mumps | Whooping Cough | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1949 | 262 | — | 641 | 75 | 224 | 210 |
| 1950 | 252 | 1 | 766 | 80 | 25 | 466 |
| 1951 | 202 | 1 | 1,316 | 320 | 28 | 389 |
| 1952 | 294 | — | 2,242 | 624 | 612 | 316 |
| 1953 | 276 | — | *664 | 44 | 10 | 368 |
| * Of this number 401 were notified as measles. | ||||||
Disinfection of all the cloakrooms at the maintained primary and
secondary schools was carried out during the Summer and Winter vacations.
No schools were closed during the year on account of infectious
disease.
Table VI shows the incidence of infectious disease in the Ilford schools
during 1953.
77 home visits were paid by the School Nurses to cases of minor
infectious disease. In addition the Sanitary Inspectors paid 391 visits to
measles cases, and 349 visits to whooping-cough cases.
Ringworm.—There were no cases of ringworm of the scalp; 1 of
ringworm of the body was reported and treated successfully during the
year.
Following Up.—During 1953, 3,906 home visits by the School Nurses
were paid for the purpose, and 3,529 re-examinations of children (some on
several occasions) were carried out by the doctors at school; 139 visits to
schools were made for this purpose alone, and other children were seen at
the visits for routine medical inspection.
Medical Treatment.
(a) Minor Ailments Clinics.—The attendances during 1953 were as
follows:—
Newbury Hall Mayesbrook
Number of individual children seen 1,128 1,220
Number of attendances of children 1,933 1,871
Number of exclusion certificates granted 43 130
Number of certificates of fitness to attend
school granted 43 101