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 1923
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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24. The 57 patients adjudicated to the county appeared to belong to the
following countries: England, 15; Ireland, 13; Scotland, 7; Russia, 7; Canada,
2; France, 2; India, 2; Italy, 2; Australia, China, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey
(one each): unknown, 2.
25. The number of patients chargeable to the county, as compared with the total number chargeable to London boards of guardians and the county, for whom the Council was providing accommodation at the commencement of 1924, and of previous years, was as follows1:—
Table 11.
| Date, 1st January. | Chargeable to the County. | Chargeable to London boards of Guardians and the County. | Date, 1st January. | Chargeable to the County. | Chargeable to London boards of Guardians and the County. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1890 | 532 | 10,100 | 1921 | 436 | 16,557 |
| 1900 | 510 | 15,061 | 1922 | 448 | 17,085 |
| 1910 | 564 | 19,288 | 1923 | 459 | 17,343 |
| 1915 | 555 | 20,882 | 1924 | 478 | 17,725 |
| 1920 | 424 | 16,243 |
"Service" patients, and other ex-soldier patients.
26. During the year ended 31st March, 1924, eight soldier patients were
admitted to London County mental hospitals directly from the Army under
section 91 of the Army Act, and 443 men who had had military service were
admitted through the parishes and unions. All these cases are considered by the
Ministry of Pensions with a view to their classification as "service" patients should
the Ministry be satisfied that the mental disability is due to or aggravated by war
service. "Service" patients have private classification and are paid for by the
Ministry of Pensions. During the year 9 patients who had already been transferred
to the "service" class were admitted to the London County mental hospitals from
other mental hospitals in order that their friends might more easily visit them,
although these patients, had they remained chargeable to parishes and unions,
would not have been eligible for admission to London County mental hospitals,
For similar reasons some London "service" patients have been transferred to
provincial mental hospitals.
Service
patients.
27. The following return gives particulars of ex-soldier patients at each of the London County mental hospitals during the year ended 31st March, 1924:—
Table 12.
| Admission of patients with previous military service. | Patients classified as "service" patients during the year. | Discharged or transferred after classification as ''service'' patients. | "Service " patients remaining at 31st March, 1924. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under section 91 of Army Act. | Under summary reception orders. | Transferred from other mental hospitals. | ||||
| Banstead | 1 | 56 | — | 19 | 16 | 122 |
| Bexley | 5 | 53 | 1 | 16 | 11 | 81 |
| Cane Hill | 2 | 65 | 2 | 25 | 13 | 101 |
| Claybury | — | 43 | 1 | 18 | 18 | 150 |
| Colney Hatch | — | 49 | — | 10 | 8 | 82 |
| Hanwell | — | 118 | 1 | 31 | 14 | 103 |
| Horton | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Long Grove | — | 59 | 4 | 27 | 15 | 153 |
| Total | 8 | 443 | 9 | 146 | 95 | 792 |
28. The decision of the Ministry of Pensions (see Annual Report for 1922,
vol. II., p. 14) that, after 30th September, 1923, the Ministry would cease to be
Chargeability
of ex-service
patients.
* Figures for 1911-1914 and 1916-1919 are given in the Annual Report for 1921 (vol. II.,
p. 9).