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 1959
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Walthamstow]
This page requires JavaScript
28
9. PROTECTION OF SCHOOL CHILDREN
AGAINST TUBERCULOSIS
(a) Chest X-ray Examination of Teachers on
Appointment.- There has been no difficulty in insisting
that all teachers on appointment in Walthamstow be
required to undergo a chest X-ray examination. During
1959, the total of such examinations was 103.
Although the local Chest Clinic has been equipped
with an Odelca miniature X ray apparatus it has so
far not proved possible for staff to be referred as a
routine. Instead staff are referred to the Mobile
Mass Radiography Units or the static unit at Drayton
Park but the difficulties in such an arrangement are
obvious when compared with local facilities.
All staff engaged in the school meals service are
also subjected to X ray examination of the chest on
appointment.
(b) B.C.G. Vaccination of School Leavers - The
scheme followed was described in the Report for 1954 and
continued during the year under review.
The Heaf multiple puncture apparatus has been used
exclusively during 1959, and with complete success
All secondary schools have been visited during the year and of the 2.882 children invited 1,382 accepted giving an acceptance rate of 47 9 per cent.
| 1959 | 1958 | 1957 | 1956 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Heaf positive | 99 | 131 | 165 | 176 |
| Percentage positive | 7.8 | 11.6 | 13.8 | 14.2 |
| Number of Heaf negative | 1, 168 | 995 | 1,026 | 1,064 |
| Number absent | 115 | 92 | 55 | 28 |
| B. C. G. given | 1, 168 | 995 | 1,026 | 1,053 |
| Absent or not done | 1 | _ | _ | 11 |
By arrangement with the Chest Physician all the Heaf
positive children were offered chest X ray at the Chest
Clinic. None were found to have active disease.
No complications as defined in Section 18 of the
Ministry of Health Memo 324/BCG have arisen, although
many children have been seen with small ulcers which
are a normal concomitant of successful vaccination These