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64
SECTION V. MENTAL DEFICIENCY.
The Staff in the Public Health Department dealing with the
mentally defective consists of one whole-time visitor and of the
Medical Officer of Health and the Deputy Medical Officer of
Health, who are the certifying officers under the Mental Deficiency
Act.
The following statement deals with two groups of cases: —
(a) Statutory Cases, consisting of mental defectives under 7 or
over 16 years known to require special care and supervision;
ineducable mentally defective children between the ages of 7 and 16
years; and children referred to the local control authority, under
the Mental Deficiency Act, as being either incapable of further
education in a special school, or of being incapable of such education
without detriment to other children. All these cases are dealt
with under the Mental Deficiency Act.
(b) Education Cases, consisting of mentally defective children
between the age of 7 and 16 capable of education in special schools.
These are dealt with by the Education authority.
Number of the Mentally Defective.
The total number of mentally defective in the Borough
known by medical examination is :—
1.—Statutory Cases : —
Aged 0-5 years 4
„ 5-16 „ 48
,, over 16 ,, 234
286
2.—Education Cases: —
Aged 7-16 years 1ll
397
Distribution.
The 397 cases of mental defectives are distributed as follows:—
(a) Statutory Cases:—
In certified institutions 101
In Croydon Mental Hospital 12
In Poor Law institutions 6
Under guardianship at home 18
In a place of safety 1
Under supervision, resident at home 148
286