London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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London County Council 1930

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]

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86
General conclusions.β€”(1) The very inferior physical condition of the delinquent
must be stressed again. This inferiority is to some degree inherent but much of it is
acquired and capable of being remedied.
(2) The mental backwardness of the whole group places them for the most part
in the sub-cultural class of society. They are only capable of limited development.
(3) The educational backwardness is striking and often extreme. This is not
altogether due to lack of intelligence. There is a failure of achievement. They are
capable of attaining a higher level than they do attain, especially in practical work.
(4) Psychologically the delinquency is, in the overwhelming majority of cases, a
simple problem of moral turpitude, involving a simple mental reaction. In only
2 per cent. of the cases under review did it appear to be of deeper significance and
call for more than a single investigation.
(5) The home and school situations contain the key to the solution of the
majority of child delinquent cases. There is a valuable field here for the social
workers of child guidance clinics.
(6) Psychotherapy has only a very limited field in child delinquency.
Special Reports.β€”In the course of the year 169 special reports were submitted
to the magistrates.
In compiling the report, I am greatly in the debt of Mr. M. J. T. Jones, the
superintendent of the Place of Detention, for his help in keeping many of the records.
Examination of Employees in the Education Service and Scholarship Candidates.

examination. The following table indicates the number submitted for each grade and the results of the examinations :β€”

Status.Number examined.Number fit.Number rejected.No. who withdrew after being referred for remediable defects or were not due for re-examination until 1931.
M.F.M.F.M.FM.F.
Permanent service4825874645741661110
Teaching awards227734225705382154
Scholarships3,0262,8992,9432,84840164938
3,7354 2203,6324,127593081102
Total7.9557,75989183

These figures include 12 permanent service (M. 9 F. 3), 55 teaching awards
(M. 22 F. 33), and 9 scholarship (M. 6, F. 3), cases referred from 1929.
The causes of rejection were mainly defects of vision, unsatisfactory general
health and morbid condition of the heart.
The total number of examinations was 9,619. Some of the candidates were
referred for more than one remediable defect.
A new departure was made by the experiment of examining at their own schools
certain candidates for the award of intermediate county scholarships. Examinations
for this purpose were held on 87 occasions when 1,003 candidates were seen, of which
only 18 had to be referred to County Hall for a second medical opinion ; 776 were
passed as medically fit; one was rejected and 209 were found to require treatment
for remediable defects such as defective vision or teeth, etc.
Cases
specially
referred.
There are also referred to the public health department, special cases in which
medical advice is required. Particulars in regard to these are set out in the Annual
Report for 1925. The number of examinations made was 3,477. The major part
were teachers of whom 530 were men and 2,468 women. Of those examined in
connection with sick leave, 1,850 or 66 per cent. of the teachers were over 40 years