Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-08-31
DAIf9Y SENTINEL


OF treatment adopted Tor the amenorauoD anu
cure Of the patient, both in Europe and America
IL Dot often that this grim old ogre condsscends
to take more than a passing notice OF anything
scientific, literary or phiianthrophic which has 40
American origin Bot In this instance, az IL
touched By a common feeling Of humanity for a
,post -haplsss olss Of fellow creatures, the
& xusty cd fellor for once dos usiiec to our
native physicians IN generous spirit and q
handsome manner
After noticing the enterprises on behalf of
IDIOTS "a Pars, Germany. and Switzerland, the
reviewer proceeds 10 speak Of those in our own
country, and award the highest praise 10 Or. 8. g
Howe. and others. for their enlightened zeal and
great practical ability. Until within a very few
years, Il was thought impossible to improve the
condition Of the IDIOT, mach less to effect any
thing like cure of this revolving malady. IL is
not yeta century since this unhappy class were
suffered 10 wander about their native towns and
villages in hopeless mental DETACHMENT and
i moral darkness, Without 90 mach az a thought
STIRLING anybody that perhaps. underneath the
counterfeit presentment Of human being 20
sorrovfully exhibited by these gbbering IDIOTS
there might shoulder some Neglected spark OF
The burnt Out intellect, which, under wise treat
ment. might vet elicit light enough to guide the
benightsd wsnderer, and TO rescue him from the
category Of irresponsible animals. af
The idea was q sudden inspiration, and il me
With opposition idiotic as the disease which
fore that new era Luther who had in him a
fwonans tenderness and Pity in certain directions,
could md u IN bis heart 10 desire that one OF
these poor wretches should be put to death on
suspicion that he possessed Of a devil. And
the universal dread. amounting almost TO an IN
5 conquerable horror. which all ranks and classes
had for the very name OF cretin. seemed at the
time so absolutely nSurmountable that some OF
the truest philanthropists we'll nigh despared of
being able to render them any ssrylee. .
= About the Beginning OF the present century,
however, Fodere and Wenzel wrote a treatise on
cretinism. and DR.. Abercromby followed their
example in 1873, and devoted his rare abilities 10
this unpleasing and unpopular subject. In 1919
DIR. Poole-a man well known in the history of
cretinsm and is cure-communcated his i'm
portant memoir on the subject TO I he Encyclo-
pedls Edinensss, which awakened both attention
and interest in scientific quarters. Subsequently,
Frenchmsn, named Dr.. V0sen so late as 1899
lsctured publicly upon the subject 10 London.
but with no success. At last the honor of tramp
ling down all opposition and keeping il down,
by successful, practical experiments, was won
by and sheerlaIly awarded to Mr.. Sargent and
Mr.. Sachs, who established deaf and dumb
institution at Berlin. under the auspices of the
Prussian Government. These philanthropic ply
scisns, these genuine Dealers, 10 whom then vo-
'cDtIon vas a sacred Office. and they its humble
Ministers who regarded disease. no matter what
hfbuAiht -u4pt II hr.hlut4s as tue enemy Ol tue
human race. which they commissioned to
destroy, and who we're above the petty and cow.
ardly instincts of fear; unto whom the towards
holy law OF self-preseryatiOn beneath con-
sderatiOn when il came between them and the
thing 10 be cleared out OF the way-these noble
physicians, wesay, proved that IDIOTS could be
Instructed. and the celebrated Drs Barry and
Muller, after following their methods ami sufli-
GENTLY testing them. Endorsed the fact to the
British public ard the world
\ portion OF the Deaf and Dumb Institution
at Berlin. where the experiments were first tried
is to be set apart in future for the special treat
ment of idiots; and thus one more evil, hitherto
deemed, throughout all human history, TO be in
desuucuole, les PROSTATE at the feet OF science
and humanity. Ii very little, comparatively
speaking. that was done first at that Berlin in
Estitutou, Bnt REGARDED from the standpoint OF
the world as to the nature OF the IDIOT and his
inherent mental void. ii little short Of mir
acls. 4e
In September, 1914, Nr. Sargent had tseIye
pupils, and employed a master to assist in their
instruction, and twOfemales to take care Of them
All were imbeciles, and two were idiots OF very
low grade Two we're deaf mutes, and others
were urabis 70 walk OF TO help themselves in
any way. But those who could hear soon
learned, more or less, to speak, and some to sew.
TO draw and TO write, while seysral played about
cheerfnlly like other folks appearing ameHora-
was one Of the worst cases, soon washed and
dressed himself daily without assistance. walked.
and even ran about the house and yard, and was
learning to draw, though hrs actions were not all
exempt from the appearance of his malady
The next examples are from Paris-the first
fruits of ten years subsequent experience and
success. NJ Seguin had ten idiots in the ho-pi-
tSl OF iucurabies, All " whom were restored to
something like a sane. intelligent condition d.
Guggenbuhl, some sine afterwards, produced
work crotnism, dividing cgetns into four
cIasses--the atrophed, with ema ciated bodies and
pMalyzed eXtremties; rickety, with soft bones
and bent limbs; hydroeephaiic, with chronic
ter in the head; ana cretins diseased from birth
the worst and most intractable. This ply
stefan was a Swiss, who was also de-
voting himself TO the cure of idiots, and all the
creuns under his charge were removed from the
low places toa retreat on the Abdenoerg. a hill
1000 feet above the sea level and situated In
one of the most splendid scenes IN Switzerland
surrounded BY the snowy peaks of the Monch
the Eiger, aud the JunglTau. aud looking down
on the fine valley OF lnterlachen and the lovely
lake OF Brienz. From this delightful spot, genu
inc cretns were restored to their families and to
health, in body and mind. In these instances
there is doubt that the scenery aud air in those
lofty regions had much 10 10 with the cure. The
doctor had observed that young children afflicted
with cretinism were mostly found in the valleys
and be conceived the idea OF removing them to
the mountain attitudes aud sabieeting them to
81. course of treatment which, with the great care
bestowed upon their mental ealture, by associat-
Ing with superiors aud by a constant kindness
had the effect which he hoped for. and sirove so
earnestly to obtain. Ar instance is given OF one
of these cretins becoming scholar aud an Gu-
thor OF a book on cTetinism, after his cure: and
apupil Of DR.. Guggenbuhl sufficiently cured
to become a schoOImsster, aud learned enough
to teach n four language
We cannot conclude without adding a few
paragraphs respecting the success OF American
physIeiaus in this department OF practice. Ia
lS46, the State OF Massachusetts appointed the
we'll known Dr.. S G.. Howe. so celebrated for
his treatment OF tie deaf mute, Laura Bridge
man. to inquire into the condition of idiots in
the commonwealth, with a view TO remedial
measures in their behalf Oar reviewer saws
that 1.-THE reports of Dr. Howe exhibit the great
est zeal, energy and talent. and that he brought
to bear upon tAis object ali the scumen Of hi.
powerful and original intellect. with the happest
results" he. moreover, "rSgaFds bis la5ors and
their fruits With real satisfaction ana reoiees
in DR.. Howe's assurance that his hopes aud ex-
pectAtions have been Ia allied among the children
treated and instructed . Several be says
"sho were in state Of hopeless idiotcy have
gained useful knowledge; most Of them have be
come cleanly, decent. dOce aud industrious