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 1950

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

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Table: Position as at 31st December, 1950, with regard to the cases referred to in the last column of the preceding table:—

Position as at 31st December, 1950, with regard to the cases referred to in the last column of the preceding table:—

Detained in institutions7,767*
Discharged from institutional care2,738
Removed to mental hospitals under the Lunacy Acts522
Ascertained not subject for action9,403
Died4,380
Total removed from active list—24,810
Under guardianship229
In places of safety awaiting the presentation of a petition for an order5
Under supervision4,092 †
In institutions awaiting the presentation of a petition for an order45
Still under consideration4
Total remaining on active list4,375‡
Total29,185

Table: Summary of cases dealt with during 1950:—

Summary of cases dealt with during 1950:—

Placed in institutions330
Placed under guardianship9
Placed in places of safety pending the presentation of a a petition37
Placed under supervision591
Discharged from institutional care or guardianship192
Removed to a mental hospital under the Lunacy Acts19
Ascertained not subject for action360
Died128
Total1,666

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* This figure includes 366 cases on licence who are visited at regular intervals by the officers of the
Council on behalf of the Regional Hospital Boards.
† In addition to the 4,092 under supervision, 968 persons known to the local authority to be mentally
deficient but not subject to be dealt with are visited on a voluntary basis.
‡ Of these 139 were awaiting the provision of institutional care.
Employment
service
On 1st April, 1950, the Education Committee undertook, through its Youth
Employment Service responsibility (formerly undertaken by the Health Committee
as the paid agent of the Ministry of Labour and National Service) for the placing in
employment of mentally defective children leaving schools for the educationally
sub-normal.
Students
Facilities were given during the year for students taking courses of training in
social science and in occupation centre work to spend short periods in the district
offices of the Council's supervision section and in the occupation centres as part
of their practical training.
Accommodation
in
institutions
The shortage of beds available in institutions for the mentally defective continued
throughout the year. The position remained most serious in respect of infants and
young children of the type suitable for admission to the Fountain Hospital, the
majority of whom are of low mental grade and in addition are suffering from some
physical disability. Many of them are living in inadequate and unsuitable