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 1926
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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36
(29) That all Courts shall make arrangements for the services of a mental
expert to be at their disposal.
(30) That those who commit repeated indecent offences against young
persons shall be subject to prolonged detention in suitable institutions.
The Council, on 27th July, 1926, recorded the following opinions upon the
recommendations which are set out above:—
(i.) That, so far as the amendments of the statutory definitions of mental
defect recommended by the Departmental Committee were concerned, these
were to be objected to on the ground that the amendments went much beyond
the end which the Departmental Committee appeared to have in view.
(ii.) That there would seem to be no objection to recommendation No. 28.
(iii.) That recommendation No. 29 was, for all practical purposes, effective
at present in London.
(iv.) That, as regards recommendation No. 30, it would be advisable that
the suggestion should be considered by Parliament on its merits, rather than
that an endeavour should be made by some very general extension of the scope
of the Mental Deficiency Act or by some administrative departmental regulation
to secure that such cases were dealt with under that Act—unless they were
cases in which mental defect was found within the meaning of the Act.
New Bil.
Mental Deficiency Act (Amendment) Bill.
67. Except upon one minor point, the Council expressed its approval of the
Mental Deficiency Act (Amendment) Bill, a Government measure which passed the
House of Lords during 1926 and was introduced later in the House of Commons,
only to be dropped in December, 1926.
Contributions towards expenses of maintenance of defectives in institutions or under
guardianship.
Number of
oases under
contribution
and amounts
collected.
68. The following statement shows for the year ended 31st December, 1926, bow the Council discharged the duty of making recovery, where possible, of such contributions as were available in relief of the expenses of maintaining defectives in institutions or under guardianship:—
| (1) Cases under contribution. | (2) Total sura accrued. | (3) Total sura collected. | (4) Percentage of (3) to (2). | (5) Sura written off. | (6) Sum outstanding. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,340 | £. s.d. 9,144 0 5 | £. sd. 8,350 19 11 | 91-3 | £ s.. d. 233 16 0 | £ s. d. 559 4 6 |
Legal proceedings
to
enforce payment.
69. Legal proceedings had to be taken during the year for the recovery of payment from persons liable to contribute with the following result:—
| In 14 cases, orders made to pay amounts totalling:— | 4 cases adjourned upon undertaking to pay being given. | In 2 cases, amounts paid at Court before proceedings, totalling :— | 1 case adjourned, contributor unemployed. | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arrears. | Costs. | Arrears. | Arrears. | Costs. | Arrears. | ||||||||||||
| £ 109 | s. 10 | d. 8 | £ 2 | s. 15 | d. 0 | £ 19 | s. 13 | d. 0 | £ 5 | s. 18 | d. 0 | £ 0 | s. 6 | d. 0 | £ 6 | s. 13 | d. 0 |
London cases granted leave of absence from certified institutions with a view to ultimate
discharge.
Cases
granted
leave of
absence
on trial.
70. The following statement furnishes some interesting particulars as to London
cases to whom leave of absence from certified institutions has been granted with a
view to ultimate discharge.