Papers relating to Bates' films

Documentation mostly pertaining to the film 'mid-brain infant' (1960), an updated and revised version of a short film made by Eduard Gamper, a neurologist working at the University of Innsbruck, in 1923. Gamper's origianl film was of a 3 month old female infant born without a forebrain which he had admitted for study at his klinik. The film illustrated, in detail, her behaviour and anatomy, and this recording established Gamper's Sign (i.e. sitting from lying when traction is applied to the feet) - which became one of the signs of severe brain damage. Dr. Bates suggested in the late 1950s that this film be revised to create an aid to the study of neuromuscular behaviour in early life. With the help of The Spastics Society and Dr. R.C. MacKeith this was done by repeating Gamper's brief shots 3 times and including, for comparison, shots of a normal infant and descriptive intertitles.

1960s