London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Walthamstow 1953
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Walthamstow]
This page requires JavaScript
12
Owing to the increase in the number of children on the school
rolls (22.5%) since 1947 and the consequent overcrowding of
accommodation it was not always possible for medical inspection to
take place under satisfactory conditions. Special facilities have been
provided in the newer schools.
6. REVIEW OF THE FACTS DISCLOSED BY
MEDICAL INSPECTION
(N.B.—The numbers given below refer to medical and special inspections
at Schools and do not include other examinations at clinics).
(a) Classification of the Nutrition of Children inspected during the year in the routine age groups:—
| Number Inspected | "A" Good | "B" Fair | "C" Bad | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | ||
| Entrants | 1982 | 1452 | 73.26 | 520 | 26.24 | 10 | 0.50 |
| Second Age Group | 2908 | 1879 | 64.62 | 1010 | 34.73 | 19 | 0.65 |
| Third Age Group | 1648 | 1197 | 72.63 | 440 | 26.7 | 11 | 0.67 |
| Others | 181 | 90 | 49.72 | 82 | 45.31 | 9 | 4.97 |
| Totals | 6719 | 4618 | 68.73 | 2052 | 30.54 | 49 | 0.73 |
(b) Uncleanliness.—The following table gives comparative
| figures for the past two years:— | 1953. | 1952. |
| Average visits to schools | 4 | 4 |
| Total examinations | 36,031 | 38,733 |
| No. of individual pupils found unclean | 387 | 479 |
| Percentage uncleanliness of average attendance | 2.16 | 2.9 |
The highest and lowest percentages since 1947 were 6.2 in
1949 and 2.16 in 1953. The average number of children found to
be unclean during these seven years was 787 or 3.9% of the school
population. Individual inspections in the schools ranged between
43,141 in 1950 and 32,671 in 1947.
Although the percentage found unclean in 1953 was the lowest
ever recorded, the existence of 387 unclean children in the schools
leaves no room for complacency.
(c) Minor Ailments and Skin Defects.—The following was the number of skin defects found to require treatment and observation:—
| Treatment | Observation | |
|---|---|---|
| Ringworm—Head | 1 | — |
| Body | 5 | — |
| Scabies | — | — |
| Impetigo | 3 | — |
| Other skin diseases | 200 | 133 |