The Osceola times., 1881-01-22
The Growth of Children.

The MedtcdI Record Reproduces the
leading features of the studies of Pro-
fessor w. Preyer, of Jena, in field as
yet almost unbroken, that is in the psy-
Geological study of infants
This study begins, says the professor,
with the observation of the movements
and sensations of child, and then pro-
coeds to note the development of the
different senses, the formation of speech,
etc, and the effect of all these things in
awakening the intelligence. The first
manifestations of voluntary motion oc-
ours about the fourteenth week, when
the infant begins to hold up its head.
After four months the head is usually
balanced WELL and at ten months the
power TO sit up is required. Ability to
stand, is usually, in the cases studied by
the professor, gained suddenly at the end
of the first year. The first grasping mo-
tions of the hand in the first quarter
year are entirely reflex and mechanical,
the first voluntary attempt to take hold
of an object not being noticed before the
seventeenth week. \ child does not
show scli-cOnsclOusness, a knowledge of
its Independent existence, until after the
commencement of the second year. The
sensibility of the skin Of newborn
child is very low, and it will give no
signs of discomfort if it be prickcd on
the nose or lips or hands. The eyes, too,
close slowly when touched, and do not
close at all in the bath. An increase of
scnsibility, however, appears in day or
two after birth. All Infants are deaf at
birth, because the outer ear is closed and
there is as vet no air in the middle ear.
A -, - !.
at the earliest, in six hours, but often
not for a day or two. The awakening of
the sense may be detected by the blink
ing which 4 loud noise occasions. No
other organ is thought to contribute to
the intellectual development Of the
child as the ear. The first perceptions
are those of light. The infant shuts its
eyes as soon as the light enters them;
within week il turns its glance to the
window, but it is three weeks before the
eyes will follow light moved before
them. The stupid expression on the
child's face does not leave it until the
second quarter year, and then the face
grows more human and spirited with the
increase of the power of seeing intelll-
gently The power TO distinguish colors
follows that of intelligent attention, and
light and bright colors are preferred; but
the power to distinguish them by name
does not come until the beginning Of the
third year. The recognition of form,
size and distance come slowly. In the
first month the infant pays no attention
to the swiitest approach of the persons
hand to its face, and in the third year
it will still show ignorance of size and no
appreciation of distance. The professor
sat down in writing every sound uttered
by child during its first two years, and
which could be 50 represented. At first
only vowels are heard, but even in the
first five weeks these sounds are so di-
versfied as to express different feelings.
Thus, the professor saws. the periodically
broken cry, with knit eyes, denotes
hunger; the continuous whine, cold and
the high, penetrating tone, pain. The
consonant m was heard in the seventh
week, and in the seventh month b, d, n,
V, and, rarely, 2, h and were distin-
guished by the child. Great progress is
made in the imitation Of sounds after
the third half year, and the powers of
articulation become well developed by
the fourth half year.