London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Walthamstow 1935

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Walthamstow]

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3
There has been no departure from the Board's Schedule
of medical inspection.

The following table gives a summary of the returns of medical inspection for the last two years:—

1935.1934.
Entrants2,8111,678
2nd Age Group1,6761,912
3rd Age Group2,3121,868
Total Routine Inspection6,7995,458
Other Routine Inspection438408
Special Inspections4,0404,310
Re-inspections21,18323,661
Total25,22327,971

5. REVIEW OF THE FACTS DISCLOSED BY
MEDICAL INSPECTION.
(a) Malnutrition.—The statistical returns relating to nutrition
are given on an entirely new basis when compared with
that used in former years, and are in accordance with the
classification required by the Board of Education's Administrative
Memorandum 124 which was issued at the end of 1934.
The following extract is taken from the Memorandum:—
" The classification should be made on clinical grounds and
not based solely on the height and weight of the child. It
is recognised that some variation in the standards adopted by
medical officers may be unavoidable, but experience appears
to show that, generally speaking, a clinical classification is
more reliable than one based only upon a height-weight-age
ratio.
" The main issue is to estimate the general well-being of
the child. Such general assessment cannot as a rule be based
upon any single criterion such as any ratio of age, sex, height
and weight, but should also have regard to other data derived
from clinical observation; for example, the general appearance,
facies, carriage, posture; the condition of the mucous
membranes; the tone and functioning of the muscular system;
and the amount of subcutaneous fat. An alert cheerful child,,
with bright eyes and a good colour, may usually be accepted
as well nourished without demur. On the other hand, a child