Deaf-mutism / by Holger Mygind.

  • Mygind Holger, 1855-1928.
Date:
1894
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Deaf-mutism / by Holger Mygind. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    necessary for speech to precede writing, but that it does so as a rule because it is the easiest for those in full possession of their senses, he says: That the opposite can be the case has been plainly proved by my friend, Petrus Pontius the Benedictine, as he— mirabile dictu—has taught the deaf-born to speak, without other art than by first teaching them to write by pointing out to them the objects which the characters expressed, and then causing them to make the movements with the tongue which correspond to the characters [12, p. 53] In 1595, ten years after Pedro de Ponce's death, Andreas Laurentius states that the then-existing opinion was, that deaf-mutes were unable to speak because they could not hear, hearing being the organ of instruction [13, p. 430] • Aristotle's doctrine was, however, so deeply rooted, that Laurentius adds that he does not agree with the general opinion, and endeavours to find an explanation in a connection between the nerves of the tongue and ear. Incorrect ideas as to deaf-mutism were in existence not only during the following centuries [Zachias, lib. ii., tit. i., qnaest. viii. ; see 18, vol. i., p. 130], but even at the ♦Pedro de Ponce has not, of course been allowed to enjoy the honour of being the discoverer of oral instruction undisputed. It has been said that BisJiop John of Hagustald (Hexham), in Northumberland, was the first to teach a deaf-mute to speak (in the seventh century after Christ). From Bede's History it would seem that the person in question was only dumb (mK/Hs), as nothing is said of his having been deaf [U6. v., cap. ii., sec. lo, p. 183]. The Spaniard, Juan Paulo Bonet, whose book. Reduction ik las lelms,y arte para ciiscnas a hahlos los mtidos, appeared in 1620, has been con- sidered to be the discoverer of the system, as he does not mention Pedro de Ponce in his work. The Spanish monk, Benito Gekonymo Fevoo, has sub- jected the question to a thorough investigation, and has come to the conclusion that BoNET, whose work bears evidence of great ability, was no sole plagtarw mas un impostor 117, vol. iv., p. 861, as he had doubtless learnt the art from one of DE Ponce's pupils, to the father of whom he was secretary.