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SECTION IX.
MENTAL DEFICIENCY.
The staff of the department dealing with mental defectives
consists of the Medical Officer of Health and the Deputy Medical
Officer, who are certifying officers; two whole-time Visitors; the
Supervisor of the Occupation Centre, with three helpers.
There are two main administrative groups of mentally
defectives, viz.:—
(a) The Statutory Cases, who consist of certified mental
defectives under 7 and over 16 years of age; 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, 1913, as being incapable of further education at
a Special School or of being incapable of such education without
detriment to other children.
(b) Education Cases, who consist of mentally defective
children between the ages of 7 and 16 years who are capable of
instruction in a Special School.
The former group are dealt with by the Mental Deficiency
Committee, and the latter by the Education Committee.
The main sources of notifications of school children suspected
to be suffering from mental defects are received from School
Teachers and the School Enquiry Officers. Sources of information
regarding cases not coming within the category of school
children are mainly the Infant Welfare Centres, Health Visitors,
Probation Officers, Private Practitioners and Social Workers.
Number of known Mentally Defective Persons in the Borough—
I. Statutory Cases—
Aged 0—5 years 6
Aged 5—16 years 100
Over 16 years 564
Total 670
II. Education Cases—
Aged 7—16 years 157
Combined Total 827