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 1933
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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| Intelligence quotient of children | Intelligence quotient of parents. | Total No. | ||||||||||||
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| 25. | 30. | 35. | 40. | 45. | 50. | 55. | 60. | 65. | 70. | 75. | 80. | 85. | ||
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Mentally
defective
children—
defective
speech.
A classification as regards speech defect in 200 children attending two schools for the mentally defective was made by Mrs. D. G. Harries, one of the assistants engaged in the remedial courses for stammering children, with the following results:—
| Normal speech—Good speech | 10 | |
| Dull speech | 70 | |
| 80 | ||
| Slurred speech | 68 | |
| Defective speech | —Stammer | 3 |
| Cleft palate | 3 | |
| Lalling | 3 | |
| Lisping | 43 | |
| 52 | ||
Ponton-road remand home.
The medical supervision of Ponton-road remand home has been carried out by
Dr. E. B. Argles, and from his detailed report the following summary has been
extracted :—
During the year 1933 the total number of admissions was 1,328, made up as follows at the
end of the year Boys, 1,172 ; girls, 135 ; place of safety eases, 7 ; lodgers, 8 ; in hospital, 6.
This shows an increase over last year of 263—the average daily number in detention
being 47.9 as against 42.8 for 1932.
Cases were received from courts in the London area, and from courts in the counties of
Essex, Kent, Hertfordshire, Middlesex, the boroughs of East Ham, West Ham, Southend, and
the City of London.
Out-county cases comprised about 37 per cent. as against 32 per cent. last year, and cases
from the London area 63 per cent. as against 68 per cent. for 1932. From within the county the
largest number came as hitherto from Toynbee Hall and Islington juvenile courts.
Special reports were called for in 216 cases.
Table I shows the number and variety of the charges. As in 1932 stealing and allied
offences account for a very large proportion of the total, in boys 74 per cent. as against 67 per
cent. in 1932, and in girls about 40 per cent. in each of the two years. With the coming into
force of the Children and Young Persons Act in November, and the consequent raising of the
age for admission to the remand home to 17, it was anticipated that an increase of 300 would
have to be dealt with in a full year. In November and December 55 of those charged were over
16 years of age.
Table II shows the incidence of physical defects or departures from the normal. The
figures for nutrition and physique both show an improvement, and—for the small number of
children affected—those for heart and lung disease are rather higher. Anaemia and rickets are
both more in evidence than in 1932, and the figures for dental decay are higher. The high figure