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

Heston and Isleworth 1914

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Heston and Isleworth]

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Table: History of Infectious Illness among Scholars.During medical inspection, the infectious disease history of each child was recorded if the parent attended. The following table gives the results:—

History of Infectious Illness among Scholars.

During medical inspection, the infectious disease history of each child was recorded if the parent attended. The following table gives the results:—

Entrants 1908.intermediates 1905.Leavers 1902.
Boys.Girls.Total.Percentage.Boys.Girls.Total.Percentage.Ys.Girls.Total.Percentage.
No. of cases in which parents attended180129309...151183334...131157288...
Measles14211525783.211915127080.811514325889.5
Whooping Cough997517456.36810717552.47010917962.1
Scarlet Fever128206.4916257.511223311.4
Diphtheria2130.92572.1610165.5
Chicken Pox24244815.534276118.239236221.5
Mumps195248.015233811.48212910.1
Enteric Fever1...10.32...20.6.........
Poliomyelitis...............110.3............
Rheumatic Fever............2...20.6...110.3

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It is seen from this table that in the cases of Measles and
Whooping Cough the influence of school life does not have an
appreciable effect in increasing the incidence of those diseases.
In the case of Scarlet Fever and Diphtheria, however, it will be
seen that the percentage who have had these diseases is greater
at the end than at the commencement of school life, but even
here I am of opinion that this is not due to school attendance
alone, as there are many other influences at work during these
years that cannot be eliminated, and of course there must always
be an increasing incidence of children who have already had the
disease at each advancing age period.