London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Wimbledon 1913

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Wimbledon]

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(e) Nutrition.
This is an extremely difficult matter to gauge and only
those cases whose condition was very marked have been put
down as abnormal.
(f) Cleanliness and Condition of Head and Body.
As during last year we have had considerable trouble
through the immigration of unclean families, particularly from
the County area. Some of these cases have had to be refused
admission to school week after week and have not been fit to
allow into school until the parents have been summoned, and
I have no doubt whatever that if other Authorities would adopt
the same policy that Wimbledon has there would be an allround
improvement in the cleanliness of these people. This is
instanced by the fact that some of the families have shaken
the dust of Wimbledon off their feet owing to what they consider
as the persecution of the Education Authority, and have
returned to districts outside where, apparently, they are able
to get their children into school before they are properly clean.
The more I see of our system of having a definite day fixed
for admission at each school and a Nurse examining each child
presented for admission and refusing to admit any child unless
absolutely clean, the more I am convinced that we are adopting
the best means of keeping our schools clean. One cannot
help remarking that one very rarely sees now children such as
one was accustomed to see a few years ago, with their bodies
covered with bites.
The figures with regard to vermin are extremely small,
totalling only .58 per cent., but then it must be remembered
that even amongst the most uncleanly, a special effort is made
to get the child ready for the routine medical inspection.

The following is a summary of the action taken during the year in the worst cases with regard to children sent to school in a verminous condition:—

Parents before Committee.Children before Committee.Summonses ordered if not sent clean.Cautioned by Committee.Summonses taken out.Fined 10/-.Fined 7/6.Fined 5/-.Fined 2/6.Fined 1/fi.Fined 1/-.Attendance Orders made.Adjourned.Withdrawn.Adjourned, still Sine die.Sent to Industrial School
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(g) Teeth.
This still remains the most unsatisfactory part of the
work. It will be seen from the tables that of the total number
of children examined only 44.0 per cent. were without carious
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