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

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Walthamstow 1944

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Walthamstow]

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(ii) Deaf School - Kiss V.K.Mitchell, the Head Teacher,
reports as follows:-
"On April 1st. 1944, the school had 16 children on the roll,
classified as follows:-
Deaf within the meaning of the Act. Partially Deaf. Aphasic.
12 3 1
(1 of these has normal
language.)
"During the year (April 1944 to April 1945) five children left,
four of them to go to schools outside the London area because of the
danger from flying bombs and one to go to work with his father as
a Pasterer. Two children have been admitted, one of them a boy
under school age and the other a partially deaf girl of eleven.
The attendance during the year was very poor because of enemy
activity."
(iii) Open Air School - Miss E.Thompson, the Head Teacher, reports:-
"The work of the Open Air School suffered severely from
interrupted attendance throughout the year. But in spite of this
16 were discharged by the school medical officer as fit to return
to the ordinary elementary school. Evacuation during enemy action
accounted for considerable withdrawals, and many of these are still
away from Walthamstow.
Two senior boys (over 14) attended evening school after the
summer holidays, and were placed No.2 and No.5 on the Christmas
examination list. This was considered very gratifying, since this
school received delicate and almost inevitably backward children.
Classification of scholars on roll at end of 1944 was as follows:-
Debilitated 34 Orthopædic 16
Asthma 6 Cardiac 8
Epileptic 2.
(iv) Orthopaedic Scheme - The scheme is under the clinical charge
of Mr.B. Whitchurch Howell, F.R.C.S., Consulting Orthopædio Surgeon.
The following table shows the work done at this Clinic:-

ORTHOPAEDIC SCHEME.

BoysGirls
5-15 yrs.Under 5 yrs.Over 16 yrs.5-16 yrs.Under 5 yrs.Over 16yrs.
Anterior Poliomyelitis10-59-10
Scoliosis,Kyphosis,Lordosis24--3032
Surgical Tuberculosis7-12--
Arthritis21--3
Rickets - (a) Genu Varum42849-
(b) Genu Valgum3110-3022
Pes Planus Valgus12822-929-
Hammer Toe1--9--
Perthe's Disease---2--
Amputation of leg-----1
Congenital dislocation of Hip---321
Spastic Paralysis92-52-
Talipes -
(a) Equino Varus94146-
(b) Pes cavus1--1--
(c) Calcano Valgus11--6-
Congenital defects206-1611-
Hallux Valgus1--11--
Torticollis14-59-
Digitus Varus--51-
Osteomyelitis--2---
Achondroplasia---2-
Miscellaneous102-213
Totals25979102518317

17.