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informal accommodation of selected cases. So far as is possible, contact is maintained
between patients and their families. Arrangements are made with the local health
authority in which the homes are situated to ensure continuity of supervision and, in
addition, the Principal Medical Officer for Mental Health visits each case and reports
on the placement. The Guardianship Society, Hove, continues to provide suitable
foster homes for twenty Enfield residents, ten of whom attend training centres in the
Brighton area.
At the end of the year, the number of mentally subnormal persons maintained
in residential homes and hostels and informal foster care was 55, including ten
children.
Temporary Care
Short-term residential care of subnormal persons is arranged to offer relief to
parents and guardians, usually at holiday times, to allow them to take a carefree
vacation. Twenty-four subnormal persons were admitted to hospital and five to
voluntary homes under this scheme. Five of the hospital admissions were to Winifred
House pre-convalescent hospital for children, Barnet Gate, Arkley, Barnet.
Holiday Camps
A summer camp for mentally subnormal children was held for two weeks at
St. Mary's Bay Holiday Camp, Dymchurch, Romney Marsh, Kent. Thirty-six
children from the London Boroughs of Haringey, Barnet and Enfield attended this
camp which was staffed by volunteers from the Council's junior training school; it
was very successful and thoroughly enjoyed by all concerned. The Principal Medical
Officer for Mental Health inspected the camp in the course of routine visits in the
area.
Five adult females and seven adult males from Enfield attended the summer
camp arranged for mentally subnormal adults by the London Borough of Haringey
at Walmer, near Deal, Kent, for one week in July.
Families who were unable to meet the full cost contributed according to an
assessment scale.
RESEARCH
Professor S. D. Elek, of the Department of Medical Microbiology, St. George's
Hospital Medical School (University of London), published results of an investigation
into the role of prenatal infections as a cause of mental retardation. The Council
co-operated in this research, in which mentally handicapped children, including a
number from the borough whose parents had given consent for their participation,
were studied for evidence of congenital infection.
A significant association was found between a rare virus infection and microcephalic
mental deficiency. The full extent of its contribution will require further
investigation.
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