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 1956

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for West Ham]

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Table: The following figures relate to the findings during the last eleven years:

The following figures relate to the findings during the last eleven years:

Number examinedColour DefectivePercentage Colour Defective
Boys9,1314985.45
Girls9,255110.11

Table: At the examinations held at the grammar and technical schools during the year the following results were obtained:-

At the examinations held at the grammar and technical schools during the year the following results were obtained:-

Number examinedColour DefectivePercentage Colour Defective
Boys822495.96
Girls82610.12

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During this period the boys were examined by the same medical officer, and the girls by
the same medical officer except during the last three years when a second medical officer
assisted.
Recommendations of the Faculty of Ophthalmologists on this subject are worthy of
mention-
"(a) It is desirable that all children should be tested for Colour vision some time
during their school career.
"(b) Primarily, all children should be tested by the Ishihara method in good daylight,
and all failures should be retested by a lantern test.
"(c) Any child who is colour blind should not be regarded as a disabled person."
The Main School Medical Record card (Form 10M) has a space (13) for the recording of
"colour vision" and the school-leaving medical report to the Youth Employment Service also notes
this subject and, if the child is defective, the medical officer indicates that the pupil should
not enter any occupation requiring normal colour vision. Defective colour vision does not
render a child disabled under the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act.
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