London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
West Ham 1949
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for West Ham]
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During the year the Officers were called upon on 294 occasions, with the following results:-
| Disposal of Cases | M. | F. | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Admitted to mental hospital as voluntary patients | 36 | 62 | 98 |
| Admitted to mental hospital on Urgency Orders | 17 | 25 | 42 |
| Admitted to mental hospital on Temporary Orders | 7 | 10 | 17 |
| Admitted to mental hospital as Certified Cases | 1 | 4 | 5 |
| Observation | 1 | 1 | |
| No statutory action taken | 52 | 79 | 131 |
| 113 | l8l | 294 |
In many of the cases where no statutory action was taken, and in other cases coming
to their knowledge, the officers were able to arrange for patients to attend the Psychiatric
Clinic for treatment and advice, thus probably being the means of avoiding the need for
admission to a mental hospital, A number of these cases are really problems of old age, i.e.
eccentric, early senile dementia etc. who are not certifiable, but are obviously in need of
some care and attention. Owing to lack of suitable accommodation however they remain a
difficult problem for the officers.
MENTAL DEFICIENCY.
On the 31st December, 1949, the number of mental defectives on the register was 749.
Of this number 695 were ascertained to be "subject to be dealt with".
The manner in which defectives have been dealt with Is shown in the following tables:-
| Males | Females | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| A. Mental defectives ascertained to be "subject to be dealt withe":- | |||
| Number in institutions under order | 209 | 210 | 419 |
| Number under Guardianship | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| Number under Statutory Supervision | 131 | 120 | 251 |
| Number in which action not yet taken under any of the above headings | 11 | 10 | 21 |
| B. Mental defectives not at present "subject to be dealt with", but over whom some form of voluntary supervision is maintained. | 32 | 22 | 54 |
| Total number of defectives on register | 384 | 365 | 749 |