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

London County Council 1931

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]

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38
Of the 194 who were not defective it was found that 106, many of whom had been
subject to epileptic seizures for years, were normal in every respect and doing good
work in the institution; 44 presented certain mental peculiarities (e.g., irritability,
moodiness and violent temper), while a few showed definite psychotic tendencies—2
of these have since been removed to mental hospitals.
The remaining 44, as ascertained from their relatives, had shown no signs of
mental defect in early life, but now showed symptoms of mental deterioration,
varying from failing memory and loss of interest in their work to a complete
incapacity for rational conversation and employment, even in the institution. It
was not found that this condition of dementia was more common in cases where the
fits had commenced at an early age or where the patients had suffered from frequent
attacks of petit mal over a long period.
Of the 98 who were certifiable as mentally defective, it was found that their
mental ages varied from 4 to 10. Amongst these 49 showed gross signs of mental
deterioration, 26 of mental instability, 2 were blind, 10 suffered from hemiplegia and
1 was paraplegic.

Table: The response to problems of a non-verbal type in 50 cases whose mental age was 9 or over was as follows:—

The response to problems of a non-verbal type in 50 cases whose mental age was 9 or over was as follows:—

Passed.Failed.
Healy A42 per cent.58 per cent.
Ball in field (inferior plan)14 „86 ,,
Ball in field (superior plan)—100 ,,
Five weights8 „92 ,,
All failed in Burt's tests of verbal reasoning.
In rote tests the results were:—Passed.Failed.
20 to 1 (counting backwards)98 per cent.2 per cent.
5 digits repeated90 ,,10 „
6 „ „50 „50 ,,
4 „ reversed10 ,,90 ,,
Months with checks84 ,,16 ,,

Table: The relation between the mental age as shown by tests of the Binet pattern and the age of onset of the epilepsy is indicated in the following table:—

The relation between the mental age as shown by tests of the Binet pattern and the age of onset of the epilepsy is indicated in the following table:—

Age of onset of epilepsy.Mental age at time of examination.
45678910Total
0—1147193—25
1—5111354—15
5—10——3455—17
10—18—12499126
18—30————54—9
30—40————2——2
40—50————1——1
50—60—————1—1
Not known—1——1——2

Table: The relation between the mental age on tests and educational attainments as indicated by reading ability was as follows :—

The relation between the mental age on tests and educational attainments as indicated by reading ability was as follows :—

Reading age (Burt).Mental age at time of examination.
45678910Total
Unable to read—4111—7
Reading age 4 yrs.114—42—12
,, 5 ,,———1———1
,, 6 „—112—1—5
,, 7 ,,——5252—14
,, 8 „_—2375—17
,, 9 „_—1296—18
,, 10 „———166114
,, 11 „————52—7
„ 12 „—————1—1
,, 13 „—————2—2
Totals1614123727198