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Mental Deficiency Act, 1913—1927.
On the 31st December, 1929, there were 385 Mental Defectives
on the register. Males: 222; Females: 163.
Number actually in Institutions-
Males, 68; Females, 52. Total, 120.
Number under Statutory Supervision—
Males, 151; Females, 104. Total, 255.
Number on licence from Institutions—
Males, 3; Females, 3. Total, 6.
Number under guardianship under order—
Females, 4. Total, 4.
Sixty-one new cases were dealt with during the year.
Recommended Institutional Treatment—
Males, 17; Females, 9. Total, 26.
Recommended Supervision at Home—
Males, 14; Females, 7. Total, 21.
No Action Necessary at present—
Males, 8; Females, 6. Total, 14.
Six cases were taken off the register as follows:—
Number Removed to other Areas—
Males, 2; Females, 1. Total, 3.
Number Died—
Males, 2; Females, 1. Total, 3.
Number of Cases notified by the Local Education Authority under
Sec. 2 (1) (b) (v) of the 1913 Act—
Males, 24; Females, 15. Total, 39.
Number of Cases Admitted to Institutions—
Males, 6; Females, 4. Total, 10.
During the year 34 Continuation Orders were received:—
For 5 years: Males, 17; Females, 9. Total, 26.
For 1 year: Males, 1; Females, 7. Total, 8.
Ascertainment.
The incidence of mental defect varies considerably in different
areas, due of course to a number of factors. In West Ham
the low rate of registered cases of 1.25 per 1,000 of the population
is due largely to the number of defective children who attend
the Special Schools for these cases, and from the benefit they
derive from such attendance. Another circumstance which has a
bearing on this low figure is the number of destitute mental
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