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
Acton 1908
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Acton]
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104
were considered unable to obtain educational advantage from the
ordinary work in the School.
Sixty-two cases were reported and 56 of these children were
specially examined.
The examination either took place at the school or in the homes
of the children.
Those cases which by reason of physical or mental defect were
unable to attend school were visited at home and there examined:
special enquiry being made to discover what medical treatment the
child had previously undergone, and what arrangements (if any)
were being adopted by the parents for the education of these children.
Briefly, the children may be classified as follows:—
| a. | Very backward | 23 |
| b. | Mentally defective | 9 |
| c. | Imbecile | 6 |
| d. | Infantile paralysis | 4 |
| e. | Infantile paralysis and epilepsy | 2 |
| f. | Defect of vision | 2 |
| Epilepsy | 1 | |
| h. | Deafness | 1 |
| i. | Dumbness | 1 |
| j. | Microcephaly | 1 |
a. Backward
The 23 backward children show variations from a slight deviation
from the normal to a condition closely approaching the mentally
defective.
Their ages vary from 6 to 13 years.
Many of the children are about 3 years behind the normal development
to be expected from their age, and remain in the same
standard nearly 2 years. They are not specially troublesome in class
but make very little progress and are a source of much difficulty to
the teachers.
b. Mentally defective
By this term are included those who to some extent fail to reach
a certain level in the general summation of mental qualities.