Kalmuc idiocy : report of a case with autopsy / by John Fraser ; with notes on sixty-two cases by Arthur Mitchell.

  • Fraser, John.
Date:
1876
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Kalmuc idiocy : report of a case with autopsy / by John Fraser ; with notes on sixty-two cases by Arthur Mitchell. 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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    History.—Tbe following is all I have been able to gather regarding the patient. She was an illegitimate child, and parturition at her birth is said to have been normal. Her mother, who died some time! before the patient’s admission into the asylum, is said to have suffered St remorse and mental pain during her pregnancy, and to have expiated' her sin by constant and affectionate care of her unfortunate offspring.. Physical Condition.—Patient was a short slenderly made woman, in fair condition, weight 6st. 121bs., height 4ft. 8^- inches. The; trunk was symmetrical but flattisli; breasts small and firm, resembling those common in a girl in 12 or 14 ; upper limbs were short; arm very short in comparison with forearm; hands broad and short:! fingers short, and when hand was placed on any flat surface, the fingers inclined to spread widely out; joints of fingers lax, and admitted ol abnormal extension, nails almond-shaped, short and curved inwards at points. Lower limbs were short in proportion to the trunk ; thigh1 short in proportion to the leg. The foot presented the followingi peculiarities : the big toe was large in proportion to the foot; Seconal toe was unusually long, third toe was half the length of the second:; the fourth, half the length of the third, and the fifth or small toe was of normal size (see sketch). The fourth toe was curved downwards., and but a small triangular portion was left uncovered by the thirc and small toes. This peculiar deformity was symmetrical, and from; the drawings of the feet of other Kalmuc idiots, it seems a deformity i not altogether uncommon among them. Her head was small and round. The asymmetrical condition of the head, which will be particularly referred to in the description o; the skull, was not observed during life. The hair was fine, thin ir i quantity, and of a light brown colour. The ears were small anc simple in conformation. The following are the dimensions of the head :— Inches. 1. Circumference in line of eyebrows, inside upper part of ear and occipital protu- berance . 1H 2. Prom root of nose to occipital protuberance ll| 3. From ear to ear over vault. . .10^ 4. Longitudinal diameter . . . 6J 5. Transverse . . . . 5f 6. Diagonal diameters— From right anteriorly to left posteriorly 6£ ,, left anteriorly to right posteriorly 5£ Dr. Mitchell pointed out to me that the plane of the face and tb( ^ plane of the back of the head tended to form two parallel lines. Tin ; space between these lines measured 6-g- inches. ’ , 1 The face was almost square, the length to the breadth being inches to 4£. Cheek bones prominent, and chin sharp and projecting forehead wns rounded in outline and surface, and rose in a moderate!}