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52
pairs and work inter-dependently. Visits have been paid to the various centres
and favourable reports thereon have been submitted, but it is noted that the work
is only in the experimental stage. The curriculum of the centres includes marching
and block-building, bead-threading, cross-stitch, raffia-work, and other simple
occupations. Where a piano and the necessary assistance is available, there are
simple games, musical exercises, and country dances. The parents appear to
interest themselves in the work of the centres, and although the attendances of the
children are not large, much useful work appears to have been accomplished already.
Several mothers have given testimony to the improved deportment and usefulness
of the children when at home which has followed their attendance at a centre.
Age and
cause of
death of
men tails
deficient 8.
A point of some interest in connection with the care of defectives is the question
of the length of life to be expected. Since the commencement of the Mental
Deficiency Act, 1913, it has been noted that of cases dealt with under the Act, 305
have died, and that the deeper the degree of defect the earlier, on the average, has
been the date of death. The following figures, however, only represent the average
of those who have died during the period, but do not represent the expectation of
life of all defectives of the corresponding degree or type.
Average age Average age
Degree of defect. Sex. at death. Type of defect. at death.
Idiot Male 11.6 years. Mongol 10.4 years.
Female 11.6 „ Cretin12.5 „
Imbecile Male 12.6 „ Cer. Par. 12.4 „
Female 13.4 „ Epilepsy13.4 „
Feeble-minded Male 20.5 „ Primary Amentia 1.-4 „
Female 21.7 „ (Total of 305 cases.)
The feeble-minded generally come to notice somewhat later in life than those
more deeply affected in mind, and a number may well have died without attention
being drawn to their condition. The causes of death were ascertained in 226 of the
cases, and are classified in the following table:—
Cause of death. Number dead. Cause of death. Number dead.
Diseases of the respiratory organs 79 Paralysis 5
Tuberculosis 55 Meningitis, etc. 23
Epilepsy 23 Miscellaneous 22
Heart disease 11
Fevers 8 Total 226
Blind
Persons Act.
The Council's scheme for carrying out the provisions of the Blind Persons
Act, 1920, set out in previous reports, was continued throughout the year, during
which 56 persons over school age were seen. Of these, 38 males and 10 females were
found to be capable of benefiting by training, and advice was given as to trades
in which the persons should severally be trained, having regard to the prospects of
future employment, : 4 males and 4 females were considered t,o be unfit for training.
Midwives.
Duly certified midwives with London addresses exceed 5,000 in number, of
whom 905 gave notice of their intention to practise within the County during the
whole or part of the year, an increase of 76 on last year's figures. About 10 per
cent. of the midwives with London addresses are in actual independent practice in
the County, the remainder acting mostly as monthly or general nurses under medical
supervision. Practising midwives, other than those who work entirely in hospitals or
infirmaries under medical supervision, are subject to inspection by the Council's
officers, with a view to ensuring that a proper standard of efficiency is maintained.
This work is carried out by four women medical inspectors, who pay special visits
to midwives having cases of a septic nature or persistent high temperature or inflammation
of the eyes. Advice is also given by the inspectors on any point of difficulty
arising in connection with the work ; 2,549 visits were paid by the inspectors
this year, as compared with 2,366 the previous year.
109 infringements of the rules of the Central Midwives Board were reported
during the year, of which 74 were slight, and therefore dealt with by means of a
verbal caution; 24 cases were of a more serious nature, and were dealt with by a