The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-06-20
INSTRUCTION OF IDIOTS.

could be done in their behalf
The Commissioners were Dr. Samuel G.. Howe,
so well and honorably known for his long and
arduous labors in behalf of the blind, Judge By
ington, and Gilman Kemball The burden of the
labor fell upon the chairman, who entered upon 1t
with the enthusiasm, perseverance and practical
adaptation Of means to ends, which have made him
30 efficient in his varied schemes Of benevolenee
On the 26th of the I'd month"; 1913, full report OF
the results Of this labor was made to the Govern
or, accompanied by statistical tables and minute
details One hundred towns had been visited by
the chairman, or his reliable agent, in which pee
hundred and sepey-fe persons, in state OF idiocy,
were discovered. These were examined, carefully,
in respect to their physical as well as mental con-
dition no inquiry being omitted which was calcu-
lated 10 throw light upon the remote or immedi-
ate causes Of this mournful imperfection in the
creation Of God. The proxmate causes DR.. Howe
mentions are to be found in the state of the bodily
rganization-deranged and disproportioned by
some violation of natural law on the part Of the
parents or remoter ancestors of the sufferers.
Out Of AGO cases of idiocy, he had obtained in
formation respecting the condition Of the progen-
itors Of $50; and in all but four of these cases
he found that one or the other or both of their
immediate progentors had in some way departed
widely from the condition Of health they were
scrofuous, or predsposed to affections Of the
brain, and insanity, or had intermarried with
blood relations, or had been incorporate, or
| guilty of sensual excuses.
OF the SIS cases, 420 were those of idiocy from
birth, and l55 Of idiocy afterwards or the born
idiots, 1877 were under 25 years Of age, and all
but 10 seemed capable of improvement. Ofthose
above IS years Of age, 70 appeared incapable of
improvement in their mental condition, being
helpless as children at years of age. Forty
three out of the 400 seemed as helpless as
children at two years of age, and SO were in the
condition Of mere infants Two hundred and
twenty were supported at .k@s-pubGc charge in
aims houses. large proportion of thep were
! found to be given over to filthy and Sathsome
habits, gluttony, and lust, and constantly sinking
lower towards the condition of absolute british
ness.
Those in private houses were found, il possible,
in a still more deplorable state. Their parents
were generally poor, feeble in mind and body,
and often Of very Incorporate habits Many Of
them seemed scarcely able TO take care of them
selves, and totally unfit for the training of ordi-
nary children. 1t is the blind leading the blind ;
imbecility teaching imbeclity. Some instances
of the experiments of parental ignorance upon
dotic offspring, which fell under the observation
of DIR. Howe are related in his report. Idiotio
children were found with their heads covered
over with cold poultices of oak bark, which the
foolish parents supposed would tan the brain and
harden it, as the tanner does his oxhides, and 80
make it capable Of retaining impressions and re-
Numbering lessons In other cases, finding that
the child could not be made to comprehend any
thing, the sagacious heads of the household, on
the suppositon that its brain was too hard, tor
tured it with hot poutices of bread and milk to
soften it, Others pastered over their children's
heads with tar. Some administered strong doses
of mercury, to solder up the openings in the
head, and make it tight and strong. Others en-
cOuraged the savage gluttony of their children,
stimulating their unnatural and bestial appetites
on the ground that "the poor creatures had
nothing else to enjoy but their food, and they
should have enough Of thatw
In consequence of this report, the Legislature,
in the spring of is4s made an annual appropria-
ton Of $4,000, for three years. for the purpose Of
training and teaching ten idiot children, 10 be
selected by the Governor and Council The
trustees Of the Asylum for the Blind, under the
charge of DIR. Howe, made arrangements for re-
ceving these pupils. The school was opened in
the autumn of lS4s; and its first annual report,
addressed to the Governor, and printed by Or
der of the Senate, is now before US.
OF the ten pupils, it appears that not one had
the usual command of muscular motion--the Ian
guild body obeyed not the service Of the imbecile
will. Some could walk and use their limbs and
hands in simple motions others could only make
slight use Of their muscles, and two were without
any power of locomoton
One of these last, a boy six years of age, who
had been stupefed on the day Of his birth by the
application of hot rum to his head, could scarcely
see or notice objects, and was almost destitute of
the sense of touch He could neither stand nor
sit upright nor even creep, but would lie on the
floor in whatever position he was placed He
|
had no more sense Of decency than an infant
His intellect was blank; he had no knowledge
no desires, no affections. A more hopeless OBJ
ject for experiment could scarcely have been Be-
lected.
A year Of patient endeavor has nevertheless
wrought wonderful change in the condition ofthis
miserable being. Cold bathing, rubbing of the
limbs, exercise of the muscles exposure to the air.
and other appliances, have enabled him to stand
upright to sit at table and feed himself, and chew
his food, and to walk about with slight assistance
His habits are no longer those Of brute, he OBJ
serves decency, his eye is brighter, his checks
glow with health, his countenance is more ex-
pressive of thought. He has learned many
words and constructs simple sentences, his affec-
tions begin to develop; and there is every pros
pect that he will be so far renovated as to be able
TO provide for himself in manhood.
In the case Of another boy, aged twelve years,
the improvement has been equally remarkable.
The gentleman who first called attention to him,
in q recent note to DR.. Howe, published in the
report, thus speaks Of his present condition :
aWhcn remember his former wild and almost
frantic demeanor when approached by any one,
and the apparent impossibility Of communicating
with him, and now see him standing in his class,
playing with his fellows, and willingly and fami-
iarly approaching me, examining what gave
him and when see him already selecting arti-
cles named by his teacher and even correctly
pronouncing words printed on cards-improve-
ment does not convey the idea presented to my
mind; it is creation; it is making him anew"
All the pupils have, more or less, advanced.
Their health and habits have improved, and there