The education of the imbecile, and the improvement of invalid youth.

Date:
1856
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The education of the imbecile, and the improvement of invalid youth. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    to excite, by an appeal to examples of infantine weakness followed by manly vigour. Instances are not wanting of great ability succeeding to long continued feebleness of constitution, which did not even seem to promise mediocrity. Gibbon and Sheridan are among the latest of this kind. In these cases, in addition to the employment of medical aid, it is of the ut¬ most consequence to proportion the mental exercise to the mental strength. This may be so little as to render every sort of study absolutely improper, and every employment of the senses, beyond a certain degree, injurious. In short, the individual must be treated at first much as a plant, and that also a sickly one, with simple nourishment and exposure to good air. T he next step is that of merely animal life, as characterized by sensations and per¬ ceptions, which will require suitable exertion. The manifestation of the intellectual or moral powers is an advancement of a still more promising nature, and may be hailed as the basis of some moderate endeavours to¬ wards ordinary education. But, throughout the whole process, great cau¬ tion is necessary to guard againt any overstretch of power in any direction, which would be sure to occasion a relapse, and, perhaps, entirely to prevent recovery.’’ .... “ But, enough, perhaps, has been said to point out the possibility of distinguishing differences in the class of defectives now treated of, and to confirm the idea, that something more might be done for many, if not all of them, then has usually been attempted. The philosopher, for such he should require to be, who should undertake to investigate the whole subject, and to suggest a suitable plan of remedy or alleviation, would per¬ form an acceptable service to science, and merit the gratitude of mankind. It is humbling to reflect that so long a period as thirty years should have been allowed to elapse before anything was done in Scotland to re¬ duce to practice the views thus expressed so well by Dr Poole. Else¬ where, however, they were soon acted on. It was in Paris that the first thorough educational experiment was made on idiots. In 1828, M. Ferrus, chief physician of the Asylum of the Bicetre, organized a school for his fatuous patients, and caused them to be taught habits of order and industry, and to be instructed (as far as possible) in reading, writing, arithmetic, and gymnastics. The success met with, led Messrs Voisin, Falret, and Leuret, to ex¬ tend the system of instruction ; and, latterly, all the educable patients in the hospital referred to have been systematically subjected to such means as are fitted to rouse and to invigorate the dormant and feeble faculties. After witnessing the improvement in the condition of some of the objects of treatment in these schools of the Bicetre, in 1844, Dr Conolly of London thus expressed himself:—“ It is difficult to avoid falling into the language of enthusiasm on beholding such an apparent miracle ; but the means of its performance are simple, demanding only that rare per¬ severance, (without which nothing good or great is ever effected,) and suitable space, and local arrangements, adapted to the conservation of the health and safety of the pupils; the establishment of cleanly habits ; the presenting them with objects for the exercise of their faculties of sense, motion, and intellect, and the promotion of good feeling, and a cheerful, active disposition.” Dr Guggenbiihl’s earnest efforts for the good of the poor Cretins, car¬ ried on for the last fifteen years in his alpine retreat, have done much to fix public attention on the possibility of ameliorating the sad condi¬ tion of those unfortunates. We need not at present dwell on the de-