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

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Walthamstow 1938

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Walthamstow]

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The following are the weekly average numbers of children away from school owing to exclusions and the non-notifiable infectious and other diseases named:—

Exclusions.Chicken Pox.Measles.Whooping Cough.Sore Throat.Influenza.
19385053150163329
193750673643597
DiarrhoeaMumps.Ringworm .Scabies.Various.Totals.
193842724516884
193742713579930

Infectious Diseases Clinic.—The weekly clinic at 2 p.m. on
Tuesdays was continued, and all children of school age who had
been in contact with cases of infectious diseases were seen prior to
their return to school.
As in previous years, all children discharged from the Isolation
Hospital or after home isolation for infectious diseases were seen,
and particular care was taken to refer all cases with any suspicion
of rheumatism or of cardiac defect to the next rheumatism clinic.
Thirty-one children were referred, 13 following diphtheria,
10 following scarlet fever and 8 in connection with the scheme
detailed below.
Sore Throat Follow-up Scheme.—The parents of all children
reported to the School Medical Service to have had a sore throat
are invited in writing to bring the child to the infectious disease
clinic approximately four weeks after the onset of sore throat.
The primary purpose is to make sure that no cardiac complications
have followed the sore throat. 150 cases were seen in
1938, and eight cases were referred to Dr. Sheldon. The parents
have proved willing and anxious to co-operate.