The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-05-29

years other sensations have obscured
her history and the younger generation
has known comparatively little of her.
Her case will remain, however, a most
interesting one, both from a scientific
and a philanthropic point of view.
When she was two years old an attack
of scarlet fever deprived her of every
sense, except taste in very imperfect
form, and touch, which remained unim-
paired and soon seemed to concentrate
in it all the powers that had apparently
been lost. When eight years old she
was taken to the South Boston asylum,
where DIR. Howe began her education
by permitting her to handle an object
like knife and then guiding her fingers
over the raised letters of its name,
trusting to her intelligence to perceive
the connection between the two.
The experiment was perfect success,
and, to be short, Laura became well edu-
Gated in algebra, geometry, natural
philosophy, history and other studies.
AS she grew older her smell and taste
returned to some degree, but were
never sources of much enjoyment.
Her touch remained preternaturally
acute, and was educated to such nicely
of development that she could perceive
at distance whether the wall she was
approaching was solid or picketed. She
was very cheerful and happy, spending
much time in knitting, and manifesting
warm affection for DR.. Howe and 9TH
ers who had been kind to her. She
united with the Baptist church when on
visit to her mother in Hanover about
twenty-five years ago, and so far as
could be judged from her behavior and
from the communications she made
she was genuine Christian.
We have said that her case has both
a scientific and philanthropic interest.
AS regards the former, it goes far to
show that the materialistic theory which
ascribes all knowledge to the senses is
very partial and distorted expression
of the truth. The moral instinct, or
conscience, was even stronger in Laura
than in the average of persons.
Her perception of the distinction be-
tween right and wrong was intuitive
With nearly all the communications
with the outer world cut off, she was as
much of a reasoning, responsible being
as any Of us to whom every sense has
been spared. Turning from herself to
her instructors, their experience with
her is striking illustration Of the
lengths to which the improvement of
such sufferers can be carried and an en-
enlargement to efforts in behalf of un
fortunates of every class. What com.
mentary upon the doctrine of the sur
vival of the fttest does DR.. Howe's
patient labor with this poor girl afford
ian school have not hesitated to own
that it is the duty of society to rid itself
of weaklings where the inherent de,
fects of the victim do not themselves
operate as check. The spirit OF
Christianity, on the other hand, impels
to the bestowal of special care on un.
fortunates of every kind Laura Bridg.
man, if left to herself, would no doubt
have become almost imbecile in few
years. Taken in time, and educated
through her only sense, she developed
into woman uneXceptionable in char.
acter and pleasing to all who had the
patience to watch and reciprocate hel
methods of communication.
One might speculate as to what hel
fate would have been had accident early
deprived her of her fingers, so thai
touch would have followed sight, hear
ing and smell. The educators tasl
would thereby have been rendered
doubly hard, for objects and letters
must have been applied to the lips o.
, other sensitive parts of the body. Ye
, the result Of DIR. Howe's experiments
even under such drawbacks, woulC
, have proved that though the senses
, were nearly all dead the soul existed
r without diminution of power.