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Objects.—Established 1874, to afford to the working classes the opportunity of securing
medical attendance for themselves and their families when ill, by small weekly payments all the year
round, on the plan of a club or benefit society.
(6) Central Association for the Care of the Mentally Defective, Willesden Branch, Willesden
After-Care Committee for the Mentally Defective, Hon. Secretary, C. Hicks Bolton, Esq., M.A.,
15, Montrose Avenue, Kilburn, N.W.
The objects of this Association are as follows:—
1. To do all such things as may, in the opinion of the Council of the Association, conduce
to the efficiency of voluntary work, whether paid or unpaid, in connection with
the Mentally Defective, or with any persons coming under the supervision of the
Board of Control, or which may tend to promote or ensure the suitable treatment
of defectives in England and Wales.
2. To render assistance, either directly or indirectly, through other bodies, societies, or
persons, to Public Authorities in the administration of Acts relating to the care,
control, treatment or education of defectives, when such assistance may be requested
by such authorities.
3. To form, or assist in the formation of, Local Voluntary Associations in the different
statutory areas in England and Wales, such associations to have as their main object
the co-ordination of work for defectives in the area, and particularly the friendly
visiting in their own homes of defectives not in Institutions.
4. To promote co-operation between Voluntary Societies dealing with defectives and
between Public Authorities and Voluntary Societies, and to act as a means of communication
between Local Voluntary Associations and Voluntary Bodies and
Government Departments or Public Authorities.
5. To organise the training of teachers, visitors, guardians, attendants and others
cerned in the care, treatment and supervision of defectives, and to assist in providing
such persons for Public Authorities, Voluntary Associations or Institutions.
6. To keep records of (a) Defectives moving from one area to another, and (b) Societies,
Institutions, etc., dealing with defectives.
7. To provide, or assist in providing, places of safety, observation homes, occupation,
or occupation centres for defectives, and to make special provision for "double"
defectives.
8. To issue literary publications, leaflets and pamphlets.
9. To promote, watch, support or oppose any legislation or amendment of existing
lation, relating to defectives.
10. To assist in the care of individual defectives who are not already under the Statutory
Authorities in all areas where no Local Voluntary Associations are formed.
The following is an extract from the last published Annual Report dealing with the year
1918, and shews the scope of the work of the Willesden Branch of this Association
"The work of this Committee has been greatly hampered owing to War conditions
and the difficulty of securing the services of new Voluntary Visitors; there are now 18
voluntary visitors, besides the part-time paid visitor. The number of defectives supervised
is 115. An endeavour is made to call four times a year on each defective except in a few
cases where parents are hostile, or where home conditions are so favourable that supervision
is not needed.
With few exceptions, defectives who come under the care of the Committee are passed
on from Special Schools. During the year two defectives have been placed in Institutions
by the Local Authority, at the instance of the Committee. Every eftort has been made to
induce employers in skilled trades to give employment to high grade mentally defective
lads, but the Committee regret without success. The Middlesex Education Authorities
have, however, consented to consider any suitable case in which a Trade Scholarship would
benefit a mental defective, and it is hoped in this way to afford a technical training to high
grade defectives which will enable them to take their place in the labour market. At
present, the only industry in which boys have been placed by the Committee is the bootrepairing
trade. There is no difficulty in finding situations as domestic servants fcr highgrade
girls."
(7) Passmore Edwards Hospital for Willesden, Harlesden Road, N.W. Hon. Secretary,
George P. Dineen, Esq., Royston, 108, London Road, Wembley.
This is a Cottage Hospital, and deals with in-patients and out-patients.
Accommodation, 1918 72 beds.
No. of In-patients admitted during 1918 583
No. of Out-patients 1,045