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
West Ham 1955
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for West Ham]
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The object of the testing is twofold; to discover unrecognised tuberculosis in the
community and to help the child with a recently acquired infection to overcome it. Sooner
or later each one of us comes into contact with tuberculosis. Most of us overcome the
infection and acquire immunity, but some succumb and show signs of the disease. It is not
usual for a child under five to pick up the infection, and if he does, the source can
often be found within the family circle. When the jelly test is positive, a careful search
is made to find the source of infection if this is not already known. The child himself is
thoroughly investigated and every effort is made to. help him to overcome the infection by
building up his general health in every possible way and by treatment when necessary.
Out of the six children under five years found to have positive jelly tests, one was
found to show signs of the disease.
Attendances at all the Child Welfare Sessions (including the Toddlers' Clinics)
are set out below for the period 1951 - 1955. The percentage of children in both age groups who have attended shows very little variation from the previous year.
| Children under 1 Year | Children 1-5 Years | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Individual children | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 |
| 2,4-06 (83%) | 2,042 (74%) | 2,336 (81%) | 2,309 (85%) | 2,166 (84%) | 5,917 (41%) | 5,596 (44%) | 5,526 (46%) | 5,169 (47%) | 5,012 (45%) | |
| Number of | 25,731 | 26,024 | 25,592 | 25,969 | 23,774 | 14,676 | 14,038 | 13,596 | 11,384 | 10,998 |
| attendances | (10.7) | (12.8) | (10.0) | (11.2) | (10.9) | (2.5) | (2.5) | (2.5) | (2.2) | (2.2) |
Notes:- * Figures shown in brackets indicate the approximate percentage of available
children within the age groups who attended the Clinics.
†Figures shown in brackets indicate the average number of attendances made by each
child.
Consultant Clinics.
The number of pre-school children referred to the specialist clinics available on
local authority premises (through the School Health Service) during 1955 were as follows:-
Ophthalmic 143
Ear, Nose and Throat 11
Paediatric 48
Child Guidance 1
Speech Therapy 15
With certain agreed exceptions, there is consultation between the clinic medical
officers and the family doctor, before a child is referred to a specialist clinic or
hospital. A copy of the report is sent to the family doctor.
47