The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-08-16
a BABY AT EIGHTEEN YEARS.
A Girl Who Has Not Developed Sin ce
She Was Eight Months Old.

From the Philadelphia Inquirer.
One of the most remarkable cases of
monde ~elopment on record in this state
or any adjoining one is that of the
daughter of MIR. aud Mrs. Henry, of 36l2
Aspen street. The daughter was born on
May Is, 1876, and is named Mary Frances.
The young woman is now in her 18th
year. but Development stopped both
physically and men ally when she was
months old. The cause is one which has
not only puzzled medical scientists, but
others of profound skill.
Many conflicting theories have been
presented. The child at birth was an
unusually healthy and well developed
baby, and for the first eight months she
showed signs of the usual development in
children. There was no lack of growth,
no lack of appetite or anything else that
could for a moment make either the
parents or any medical attendant doubt
that the child was not natural and nor
NAL in all respects. Indeed, in health
and appetite the little one has never
given any trouble. She seems to-day, ex-
cept in the matter of eyesight, to enjoy
all the senses.
MAKING THE DISCOVERY.
The first intlmation that the family ever
had of the child's lack of development
was when IL reached the end of the first
year of It's existence, when it was noticed
that the little one made no attempt to
talk or even TO creep or walk. The mother,
on observing this, at once consulted sew
eral doctors, all of whom made examina-
tiOns, but failed TO discern anything pro-
nounced in lack of Development. Some of
them stated that the little one would, in
a few years, or probably few months,
regain what the mother thought was a
lack of energy. Time went on and yet no
improvement took place in the little ones
peculiar state.
In due time the child was baptized by
Rev. DIR. Fitzmaurice at the old ST.
Agatha's Roman Catholic church. AS
the year 1877 drew to close the mother
became uneasy about the child. Drs.
Hughes, Prendergast, Baker, O'Neill,
Goodman, and host of others were again
and again consulted, but all failed TO
come to any direct conclusion. Hospitals
and doctors innumerable were visited and
consulted, but all 10 no avail in giving
the child renewed vigOr Some doctors
pronounced the child only backward and
babe the mother have patience, assuring
her that in due time the little one would
make up for lost months. Even at the
age of years one doctor said that the
child would rally, although he admitted
the case was pulling.
STILL BABY AT FOUR YEARS.
Mary Frances, at the age of and 4
years, showed no more signs of develop
ment than when she was a baby of S
months. The little one has never caused
any trouble, never showed any signs of
disease, but has in all these long eighteen
years remained the same baby she was
when months old.
The only difference to-day in the young
woman, now over IS years old, and the
baby of months is that the head may be
a little larger and lips little more prom
inent She still subsists upon baby food
No stronger sound proceeds from the lips
of the lo-year-old child to-day than when
she was s months old. She has never
made any attempt to get on her feet, and
her arms and legs are just as small and
dimped as when, in babyh God, she pratt
tied on her mothers knee.
Everything possible has been done to
make the little one comfortable and she
seems as happy and bright to-day as the
ordinary babe. She moves but little,
even when placed out side the house
She is happy when she hears others
singing or playing around her and will
then hum to herself.
Zone of her eyes has paytially given way,
and the child shows desire TO use the
left eye more than the right one.
A PHYSICIANS STATEMENT.
DIR. J. F. Prendergast of Thirty-eighth
and Spring Garden streets, who has been
one of the physicians attending Mary,
speaking of the case yesterday, said Z:
ITS one of the most marvellous l have
ever seen or known. The head shows the
Monaghan type of imbeciles. There is
lack of both menal and physical develop
ment, and the cause is very obscure. 1t
may have been due to natal influences,
which did not show signs until long
after birth, or to shock after
wards. There may have been a
lack of nutriment or simply a
lack Of non-delopment of brain matter at
or previous to birth 1t might be due to
an accident after birth, as an injury TO
the brain or spinal cord. Yet the parents
are not aware of any such injury. 1t
might be due TO the lack of development
in the nerve centers that control growth
and development or it might be heredi-
tary. The latter cause. however. is not
indicated by the family history, all the
members having attained full growth.
1t might be caused by disease Of the
brain after birth, or some acute disease"