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 1929
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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Occupation
centres for
children
unfit for
special
schools.
47
Dr. Shrubsall, who has analysed the family histories of 1,360 cases, medically examined in the years 1928 and 1929, and for whom full family histories were available, finds that in only 129 or approximately 9.5 per cent.,was there a brother or sister who was also mentally defective.
| Grades of defect | Number of siblings also mentally defective. | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| none. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| Imbecile | 410 | 18 | 4 | 2 | 1 | — |
| Idiot | 44 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| Feeble-minded | 772 | 66 | 27 | 7 | 1 | 1 |
| Morally defective | 5 | — | — | — | — | — |
All but seven of the cases in which more than one member of the sibshp was
defective were instances of simple primary amentia, many of whom would come
under the category described by the investigators of the Wood Committee as belonging
to the sub-cultural class.
There are eight occupation centres provided by the London Association for
Mental Welfare and the Central Association where children are received who are
unable to benefit by the education provided at the special schools for the mentally
defective. A medical examination of the pupils at all the centres was carried out
by the school doctors who, during last year, examined 154 children of ages ranging
The following table summarises the defects which required treatment and compares the frequency of such defects with those found in the elementary schools as a whole during the year:—
| Defects. | Children at the centres. | Children at elementary | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number. | Percentage. | schools. Percentage. | |
| Teeth | 40 | 26.0 | 30.4 |
| Vision | 7 | 4.5 | 10.9 |
| Nose and throat | 3 | 1.9 | 5.7 |
| Eye diseases including squint | 13 | 8.4 | 1.2 |
| Discharging ears | 3 | 1.9 | 0.7 |
| Skin disease | 1 | 0.6 | 0.6 |
| Rickets and deformities | 3 | 1.9 | 0.5 |
| Other defects | 6 | 3.9 | 3.6 |
In addition to the above, 53 defects (not serious enough to require treatment),
were noted, and 3 children were reported to be inarticulate.
With regard to vision, the test depends upon the child saying what he can see
at a measured distance, and in many cases no intelligible answer was forthcoming,
so that the figures for the ineducable children in the occupation centres almost
certainly do not represent the total amount of defect that exists.
The most noteworthy difference between these children and those in elementary
schools is in the number of cases of "squints" and "deformities," as also of "other
defects," including three cases of enuresis. All of these defects are frequently
associated with mental defect, and lack of self-control. Generally, the children
appeared to be clean, well cared for, and in fairly good condition physically.
The employment of guides has been allowed when necessary, to convey the
children to and from the centres, and the Council has made a grant for this purpose.
Dr. Fairfield has tabulated the data available as to the after-careers of children,
who had been deemed ineducable during school ages, recorded by the London
Imbeciles in
regular
employment.
17710
D 2