London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Richmond upon Thames 1967
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Richmond upon Thames]
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B. Other Statistics for the year ended 31st December, 1967.
Number of B.D.8 Forms received during the year 69
Number of Registered Blind Persons at 31.12.67 Male 133; Female 243; Total 376
Number of Registered Partially Sighted Persons
at 31.12.67 Male 41; Female 59; Total 100
The total number on the Blind Register at 31st December, 1967 was 376, a net
increase of 9 as compared with the total at 31st December, 1966. During this period
60 persons were added to the Register, 51 of these being new cases, including 4 who
were transferred from the Partially Sighted Register. The remainder were transfers
from the areas of other Local Authorities. 38 persons died during the period and 12
persons removed from the Borough.
The following table shows the classification of the Register by age groups and by incidence of blindness:-
| Classification by age groups. | Classification by incidence of blindness. | |
|---|---|---|
| Birth | - | 30 |
| Under 1 year of age | - | - |
| Aged 1 year | 1 | 1 |
| ,, 2 years | - | 2 |
| „ 3 years | - | 1 |
| „ 4 years | - | - |
| ,, 5-10 years | 1 | 9 |
| ,,11-15 „ | 5 | 5 |
| „ 16-20 „ | 5 | 8 |
| „ 21-29 „ | 6 | 11 |
| „ 30-39 „ | 14 | 12 |
| „ 40-49 „ | 12 | 28 |
| „ 50-59 „ | 28 | 34 |
| „ 60-64 „ | 21 | 18 |
| „ 65-69 „ | 37 | 41 |
| „ 70-79 „ | 94 | 89 |
| „ 80-84 „ | 61 | 47 |
| „ 85-89 „ | 62 | 29 |
| „ 90 and over | 29 | 4 |
| Age of incidence unknown | - | 7 |
It will be seen that there are 304 persons on the register who were aged 60 and
over, 228 of whom did not lose their sight until they were over this age. Of the
children under 16, 1 was under school age, 3 were attending special schools for the
blind, 1 attending a special unit for the deaf-blind, 1 attending a special rschool for
E.S.N, pupils and 1 was residing in a Hospital for Mentally Sub-Normals. 103 people
were suffering from other handicaps in addition to blindness, 24 were in Residential
Homes under Part III of the National Assistance Act, 1948, 3 were in hospitals for the
mentally ill and 11 in other hospitals.
Of the 65 people aged between 16 and 59, 2 were still engaged in full time studies
and 31 were in employment. There were also 7 persons aged 60 and over who were
still working. There were no persons employed in special workshops for the blind and
only 2 working under the Homeworkers Scheme The Table below shows the
The table shows occupatitions followed by those in employment:-
| Masseurs, Physiotherapists | 4 |
| Musicians (including Teachers) | 4 |
| Others | 2 |
| Typists, Secretaries | 4 |
| Braille Proof Readers | 1 |
| Clerical Workers | 1 |
| Telephone Operators | 1 |