[Report 1930] / Medical Officer of Health, Darlington County Borough.
- Darlington (England). County Borough Council.
- Date:
- 1930
Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
Credit: [Report 1930] / Medical Officer of Health, Darlington County Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.
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![amongst those children diminished—as it ought to as the result of medical inspection—but tlie number of lowered nutrition eases increased. In the young child there was no doubt that the infective cause, namely, tonsils, adenoids, defective teeth, thread worms, played an important ])art in lowering the nutrition, l)ut in the older child it was of less importance. Among the ])oorly nourished were found the “ })order line ” children, who were not suffering from any definite disease, but were frequently “ off colour ” with indefinite sym})toms. There were two imj)ortant factors influencing this type, namely, hygiene and environment. Under hygiene is included diet, fresh air and rest. Diet lacking- in vitamines and unbalanced with excess of fat was of first im- portance as a causal factor. The need of suflicient rest and plenty of fresh air was equally important, and on the medical record card “ more rest required ” was frequently noted in this type of child. If a child has insuiricient sleej) a state of fatigue is rapidly produced with an unstable nervous system, which in time reacts on the other systems in the body, ])roducing n, “ debilitated child.” Environment re(piires little ex])lanation. When the housing conditions are bad with overcrowding and poor ventilation it is impossible for a child to remain in perfect health. It has been found that a “ border line ” child wlien an infective cause does not exist, ra])idly improves on a simple diet with plenty of fresh air and suflicient rest. With the 12 and 13 year old child another important point has to be remembered. At this age certain vital changes associated with approaching adolescence are beginning to take place, and with the systems of the body, ])articularly the nervous system less stal^le, a state of lowered nutrition is more readil}' produced by any of the factors above mentioned. Without minimising the importance of malnutrition, I should like to make a special plea for the “ subnormal child,” and more particularly in the adolescent period. This subnormal type, although apparently healthy, is a ))otential source of many diseases, particularly Tuberculosis, and recpiires careful observa- tion by the Medical Officer. With the introduction of milk into Schools it will be interesting to observe its effect on this type. EMPLOYIVSENT OF CHILDREN AND YOUNG PERSONS. The work of advising and ))lacing juveniles to the Ministry of Labour on 1st A})ril, 1<)3(). was transferred The temporary premises of the .luvenile I)c])artment are at Oxford House, 39, Oxford Street, until the new Exchange, which is in course of construction in Corporation Hoad, is completed.](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b29149125_0133.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
