Crétins and idiots : a short account of the progress of the institutions for their relief and cure.

Date:
1853
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Crétins and idiots : a short account of the progress of the institutions for their relief and cure. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by King’s College London. The original may be consulted at King’s College London.

    10/36 (page 6)
    exhibited Cretinism in its highest degree, a description of her state n.ay not be inappropriate, bhe was wrapped in a cloth, so that her face only was visible. The lids of the eyes were constantly quivering, and the eyes rolling: the tongue large, and so swollen, that the saliva was running from her mouth, and all her limbs were moving convulsively. So dreadful a sight could scarcely be imagined—a human being, devoid not only of all which characterises a rational creature, but even a healthy brute animal—and yet even she is im- proving ; so that the day will come, whether it be a year, or even two years distant, when she may know the blessings of health and knowledge. “The ear is one of the first organs to be roused from its state of apathy or slumber; and this is effected by compressing the sound through a tube into the ear. The child is then taught to perform with its mouth the motion which is required to express the sound, and so to connect the sound itself with the mode of expressing it, which is by de- grees attained ; and thus it passes through the vowels. In order to bring other organs into play, the letters are carved out in wood, and they learn to connect these with the sounds, according as the organs of touch or sight are developed. Gradually, by this method, they form words, which they utter. When all this is well acquired, the com- mon utensils, as knives, keys, forks, or spoons, are painted, and the instruments laid before them ; and thus they learn not only to distinguish them, but to place them on their pictures. Sometimes when this process does not avail to fix the sight on an object, marks or letters are figured with phosphorus on the walls of the room, and then the instruction begins, in winter, after sunset, or in summer, in a darkened room. This method often proves effectual, when others fail. Smell and taste also need development, as many would swallow whatever was placed in the mouth, and would pay no attention to any odour. When the hour of instruction closed, then came that of amusement; and here the Doctor’s kind manner was equally con- spicuous, whether the child was swinging, playing with a doll, or beating a drum, or sitting unconscious of all around it. Day and night, the sole thought of this zealous and benevolent man is the happiness and improvement of these poor creatures. In him thev have at once a teacher and physician—well qualified by natural dis- position and acquired attainments to act in both these characters. “As this malady affects the body as well as the mind, Dr. Guggen- buhl devotes all the earlier part of the time that the Crdtin is in the establishment to strengthening the body, knowing how much the mind is dependent on it; the pure, invigorating air, judicious food, and baths or frictons to strengthen the limbs, soon induce an entire change in the whole being. As soon as the organs begin to assume the normal state, the development of the intellectual faculties com- mences, and here is the greatest difficulty, but still the most im- portant part of the task. Two cases which I particularly observed will best illustrate the progress made.