Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1881-07-21
THE GROWTH OF A CHILD.

The Medical Record reproduces the leading
features of the studies Of Prof. W. Preyer, Of
Jena, in a field as yet almost unbrok ken
that is, in the psychological study Of infants.
This study begins, the professor says, with the
observation of the movements and sensations
of child, then proceeds to note the develop.
ment of the different senses, the formation Of
speech, etc., and the effect of all these things
in awakening the intelligence. The first
manifestation of voluntary motion occurs
about the fourteenth week, when the infant
begins to hold up its head After fourmonths
the head is usually balanced we'll, and at ten
months the power to sit up is acquired.
Ability to stand was usually, in the cases
studied by the professor, gained suddenly at
the end of the FIRST year. The first grasping
motion of the hand in the first quarter year
is entirely reflex and mechanical, the first
voluntary attempt to take hold Of an object
not being noticed before the seventeenth
week. A child does not show self conscious
ness, knowledge of its independent existence,
until the second quarter of the second year.
The sensibility of the skin Of a new. born child
is very low, and it will give no signs Of dis
comfort if it be pricked 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 sensibi!ity, however, appears
in day or two after birth.
All infants are deaf at birth, because the
outer ear is closed and there is as yet 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 awaken
ing of the sense may be detected by the blink
ing which loud noise occasions. No other
organ is thought 70 contribute to the intel
lectual development of the child somuch as
the ear. The first perceptions are those of
light. The infant shuts its eyes as soon as
ight enters them, within week it turns its
glance to the window, but it is three weeks
before the eyes will follow light moved be-
fore them.
The stupid expression on the child's face
does not leave it until the second quarter
year, and the face grows more human and
spirited with the increase of the power of see
ing intelligently. 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 dis
tance comes slowly. In the first month the
infant pays no attention to the swift approach
of the persons hand to its face, and in the
third year it will show ignorance of size and
no appreciation of distance The professor
set down in writing every sound uttered by a
child during its first two years, and which
could be so represented.
At first only vowels are heard, but even in
the first five weeks these sounds are so diver
si6ed as to express different feelings. Thus,
the professor says, the periodically broken
cry, with knit eyes, denotes hunger 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, g, b and k were dis;
tinguished. Its perfect 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 imita.
ton of sounds after the third half year, and
the powers of articulation become we'll devel'
oped by the fourth half year.