The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-04-20
The Growth of q Child.
Interesting Observations in the Psychic
logical Study Of Infants.

The Medical Record reproduces the leading
features of the studies of Prof. W. Preyer, OF
jena, in field as yet almost unbroken-that
is in the psychological study of infants. This
study begins, the Professor says, with tho OBJ
servation of the movements and sensations of
a child, and then proceeds to note the de-
velopment of the different senses, the forma-
ton of speech, etc., and the effect of all these
things iH-awakening the intelligence. The
first manifestation OF involuntary motion oc-
ours about the fourteenth week, when the 'i-
FAINT 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 acquired
Ability to stand was usually, in the cases stud
led by the Professor gained suddenly at the
end of the first year. The first grasping mo-
tion of the hand in the first quarter year is
entirely reflex and mechanical, the first volun-
tary attempt to take hold of an object not be-
ing noticed before the seventeenth week. A
child does not show self-consciousness,a "a knowl-
edge of its independent existence, until
the second quarter of the second year. The
sensibility of the skin of newborn child is
very low, and it will give no signs of discom-
fort If it be pricked OH the nose or Inns or
hands. The eyes, too, close slowly when
touched, and do not close at all i'll the bath.
An increase of sensibility, 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 response to Strong sound
is observed at the earliest in six hours, but
often not for day or two The awakening Of
the sense may be detected by the blinking
which loud noise occasions. No other or
gan IS thought to contribute to the intellect
ual development of the child so much as the
ear. The first perceptions are those of light.
The infant shuts its eyes as soon as light en-
ters them; within week It turns its glance To
the window but il is three weeks before the
eyes will follow light moved before them.
1he stupid expression on the child's face does
not leave 1t until the second quarter year, and
the face grows more human and spirited with
the increase of the power of seeing Intelligent
ly. 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 recog-
milton OF form, size and distance comes SLOWLY.
In the frst month the infant pays no attention
to the swlftest approach OF the persons hand
to It's face, and in the third year it will show
ignorance Of size and no appreciation of dis
tance. $50
The Professor sat down in writing everv
sound uttered by child during its first two
years, and which could be so represented
AZ nrst only VowelS are heard, but even in
the first five weeks these sounds are SO divers
flied as to express different feelings. Thus
the professor says. the periodically broken
cry, with knit eyes, denotes hun ger, the con-
tinuous 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 6, h, and were distin-
guished. Imperfect limitations of sound were
heard In the sixth month, and at this time
voices began to be distinguished by the child.
Great progress is made in the imitation of
sounds after the third half year and the now
ers OF articulation became well developed by
the fourth half year.