Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1894-03-23
.RETIRW RORRIM A
THIS BOY SEES EVERYTHING
UPSIDE DOWN.
He is n Puzzle 90 Doctors. But Bright
for an Imbecile A Small
Boys Singular and
Rare Amiction.
Lyle soientists of tho Univer.

tho Neurological Society, of
Philadelphia, are greatly in
tcrested in the case of Willie Riley, o
thirteen-year-old boy, who is an in
mate of the Home for Feeble Minded
Children ut Yineland, N. j. The boy
is one of the rare class known as .'mir-
ror writer's" While writing he un-
Willingly reverses his letters so that
they appear upon the pages as ordin-
AIRY penmanship would be reflected by
mirror. He begins writing words
or sentences in the upper right hand
corner of tho paper and writes from
right to left.
The singular fact about his perform
ance is that he cannot realize the odd
ity of his work He does not UNDER
stand that his writing differs from that
of others.
The wan, drawn features of the little
fellow and the eccentricity of his nc
COMPLIMENTS have created Juror
among students. Long drawn scien-
tifio terms have been used to charac.
terizo his case. To laymen generally
the case is pointed out as the result of
sunstroke in infancy. Tho boys
faculties have been twisted so that,
although his eyes are apparently nor
NAL, he sees things upside down and
wrong end foremost
The boy was admitted to the train
ing school few months ngo Ho was
then unable to write. When placed in
the writing class and n copy was set
before him he seemed to understand
what was expected and started to work.
His teacher was surprised when she
saw the letters he had formed upon
his slate. They resembled nothing to
her mt first. Again and ngain she tried
to teach him to begin ut tho proper
point, but he invariably went astray.
His teacher thought his work was
simply the result of awkwardness and
feeble-mindedness. It was not until
the boy had learned to form the letters
fairly well, although reversed, that
the situation dawned upon the teacher
She took some of the boys work TO
Superintendent S. o. Garrison. who
found it to be genuine mirrow writing.
Ever since that day Willie Riley has
been the subject of interesting study.
So important is his case considered
that DIR. Charles X. Mills, chief of tho
staff of consulting physicians, dovotcs
considerable space to it i'll the annual
report of tho institution.
This boy ranks high mentally M
compared with other children in tho
institution" says DR.. Mills, "and
would be classed among tho higher
grade of imbeciles. He fairly under.
stands all ordinary matters, MS telling
the time of the day, the use of common
appliances, the value of coins and
notes He can repent the alphabet,
can read and spell words of one sylla.
bic. He is docile, sensitive and n
somewhat emotional child. Ho was
examined rs to touch, pain, tempern-
ture, weight, resistance, etc, and no
trace of disorder of scnsibility was
found. His hearing, smell and taste
are good"
DIR. Mills goes on to shy that tho
boys vision is the same with both eyes
and that he is not color-b blind. Ho
has right side partial paralysis, with
atrophy. AS result of this partial
paralysis tho boys right forearm,
hnnd and fingers are arrested in de-
velopment. The right thumb is de.
pressed and drawn under the index
and middle fingers. His right leg is
nicely formed, but is somewhat shorter
than the other. The cause of his con-
dition is said to have been sunstroko
followed by cerebromeningitis when
eighteen months old.
Willie Riley appears to enjoy life.
He is active in the gymnasium classes
and has joined the band of the insti-
tuition. He is retiring, shy hoy,
however, and prefers to study when
ever he has the chance.
DR.. Mills thinks tho left half of the
boys brain has been arrested in de-
velopment and that Willie is guided
in his writing by the reversed images
formed in the right hemisphere of his
brain. The effect of tho tuition and
care bestowed upon him at the train
ing school will be closely watched. =
New York World.