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
Walthamstow 1925
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Walthamstow]
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Skin Diseases.—Ringworm, Scabies and Impetigo are the outstanding
skin diseases met with. The first two named are a
diminishing quantity, the last is still fairly prevalent.
External Eye Diseases.—2.3 per cent. children were found to
be suffering from Blepharitis, Conjunctivitis, Corneal Opacities,
Keratitis, etc., as compared with 3.1 per cent. in 1924.
Badly lighted, ill-ventilated living and sleeping rooms as well
as dusty surroundings contribute to the two first-named.
Defective Vision.—During 1925, 5.78 per cent. of the children
examined at routine medical inspection were found to be suffering
from defective vision; 4.46 per cent. being treated at the Clinic
under the Authority's Scheme.
The following table gives the percentage and sex incidence of those cases seen at Lloyd Park and found to be suffering from errors of refraction:—
| Girls | per cnt. | Boys | per cent. | Total | per cent. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hypermetropia | 74 | 33.18 | 40 | 25.48 | 114 | 30.00 |
| Hypermetropic Astigmatism | 53 | 23.77 | 23 | 14.65 | 76 | 20.00 |
| Myopia | 39 | 17.49 | 52 | 33.12 | 91 | 23.95 |
| Myopic Astigmatism | 22 | 9.87 | 14 | 8.92 | 36 | 9.47 |
| Mixed ,, | 32 | 14.35 | 24 | 15.28 | 56 | 14.74 |
| Odd Eyes | 3 | 1.34 | 4 | 2.55 | 7 | 1.84 |
| 223 | 100.00 | 157 | 100.00 | 380 | 100.00 |
By grouping the first two under Hypermetropia and the four
latter Myopia and analysing this Table we find that 50 per cent.
are Hypermetropes and 50 per cent. Myopes; that the girls are
in the majority accounting for 58 per cent. of all cases, and that
the percentage of Myopes is lower among the girls, being 42.05
per cent. to the boys' 59.87 per cent.
Nineteen children, 8 girls and 11 boys, on refraction were found
to be suffering from no error, their symptoms, headaches, etc., being
due to other causes.