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1ll
an average rate of about 50 per cent. Last year, however, the mortality was
comparatively low.
Under the Education Acts it is a duty of the Council to provide education for
those mentally defective children who are not, on the one hand, merely dull or, on
the other, imbecile or idiot. All children suspected of mental deficiency are examined
by a certifying officer, who has before him a report by the teacher of the school (if
any) the child has previously attended. It often happens that children of lower
mental grade have not attended school, but they have often been under observation
between the ages of five and seven.

Of the older cases, D.A. is blind and epileptic, had been in Dr. Barnardo's Home,
and had been found hopeless by an expert teacher of the blind. H.C. dribbles,
screams, is very weakly and rarely leaves her bed. C.H. is a mongol, suffers from
tuberculosis of the feet, cannot walk or dress, attainments less than those of a child
of 2½ years. M.R. is a mongol attending a private school, her speech is defective,
her responses are below those of a 3-year-old child, though she knows a few two-letter
words she cannot add 2 and 1, nor take 1 from 2 in spite of the education she has
received. R.B., a mongol, has been seen on several occasions. The hospital reports
a grossly mentally defective. T.E., a mongol, has been in Earlswood, speaks very
little and is lethargic. J.M., a mongol, is mischievous, irresponsible, with wet and
dirty habits ; was passed as imbecile in 1919, but has been re-examined on the
chance of improving. His attainments are less than those of a 3-year-old child.

None of these in response showed a mental age of above 3, and many of them
failed at tests for that age, their intelligence quotient (I.Q.) being less than .45.
All children under seven who are too defective to remain in the infants' department
of an ordinary school, and who cannot be admitted to a special school for
any reason, e.g., the objection of the parent, inability to make the journey, or
detrimental behaviour, are inquired into unless there is prima facie evidence that
they are well cared for at home. If on inquiry it appears that they are subject to
be dealt with under the Mental Deficiency Act, the necessary steps are taken.

Children
certified
imbecile
without
having been
first given a
trial in a
Special
(M.D.)
School.
After careers
reported by
the London
Association
for.theCareof
the Mentally
Detective.