Report upon some cases of microcephalic idiocy and cretinism / by W.W. Ireland.

  • Ireland, William W. (William Wotherspoon), 1832-1909.
Date:
1875
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report upon some cases of microcephalic idiocy and cretinism / by W.W. Ireland. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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

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    CASES OF MICROCEPHALIC IDIOCY AND CRETINISM. In the Eivistcc Glinica di Bologna there are two articles by Pro- fessor Cesare Lombroso, entitled “ Clinical and Anthropometrical Studies upon Microcephaly and Cretinism, with their Application to Legal Medicine” (Fasc. 7 Luglio 1873, and Fasc. 11 Novembre 1873), and one by Dr Valenti, entitled “The Cranium and Brain of a Microcephalic Idiot twenty years old” (Fasc. 2 Febbraio 1873). As microcephaly is by no means common in this country, and as it has of late excited much attention, I have thought it might prove interesting to afford a condensed sketch of the facts given by these two able observers, abridging in some places, and translating where abridgment would be unwarranted. Lombroso’s first case died twelve years ago in the Hospital of Cremona. He was rather tall, and his limbs were well pro- portioned ; but there was atrophy of the testicles, and the beard was wanting at the age of 25. The head was smaller than that of an infant. From some of his habits, he was called the bird-man (l’uomo uccello). He chirped, he leaped on one leg, and before putting himself in motion he stretched out his two arms like wings. He used to hide his head under his armpit, and chirped strongly when frightened or at the sight of a stranger. He was said to be wanting in touch, taste, and smell, was dirty in his habits, and given to coprophagy. The head was less than that of the ourang-outang or gorilla,1 having a circumference of 380 millimetres = 15 inches 1 line, and a capacity of 390 grammes. The form was also anomalous. It was oxycephalic, broad at the base, and tapering at the crown, resembling a pyramid, with its 1 The capacity of the ourang-outang is 448 c.c. for males, 378 for females. „ of the gorilla „ 500 ,, 423 „ „ of the chimpanzee „ 417 „ 370 ,, „ of a newly-born man „ 400 „ 3G0 „ „ of a man 1 month „ 4G0 „ 420 ,, 1 i, of a man 1 year „ 900 „ 850 „ {Vogt, Memoires sur les Microcepliales, Geneva, 18G7.) But our Giglioli, in his admirable monograph upon the chimpanzee brought by Doria and Beccari, describes a maias ciapping, a variety of ourang, with a cranium of 503 cub. cent., and another of 45G c.c. (Studi Craniologici, Genoa, 1872). The cranium p an adult microcephale, studied with singular diligence and zeal by Dr [ m^rti, had a capacity of 370 c.c., a circumference of 332 = 12 inches 4 lines, hat studied so learnedly by Valenti had a circumference of 350 mil., equal to inches 6 lines, and the brain weighed 232 grammes.