The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-12-24
TO DEVELOP A CRETIN
REMARKABLE AND INTERESTING
CASE WHICH DIR. w. d. KELLY
Is TREATING
CONFIDENT OF HELPING HIM

Little Willie Anderson, Whose Men
tai and Physical Growth Stopped
When He WAS Two Years Old,
and He IsNOw Seven-COmparn-
lively Few Such Cases on Record
History OF the Little Fellow.
The case ofScfetinism, as developed in
Willie Anderson, who is now with his
parents at the corner of Broadway and
Fourth street. is one Of the most remark
able and interesting in the United States
There are sporadic and typical cases of
this terrible aff1iction. The case of Willie
is emniently typical, for it develops all
the induces of the disease, the receding
chin,p rotuberant stomach, heavy eyebals
small stature and weight and total ar
rested development since the child was
two years of age. He is now seven His
weight is but thirty-one pounds and his
height thirty-one inches. Justification of
the skull has ensued, and this OF course
has impeded any mental development.
Ten years ago the parents of the child
came from Norway. Seven years since
the boy was born at Chippewa Falls,
Wis They came to st. Paul recently.
A week or two since the attention of
medical men was attracted to Willie by
his appearance, with his mother in the
probate court. She was then under ex-
animation as to her sanity, but 1t was
evident that Mrs. Anderson was not only
not insane, but possessed of a strong
mother love for her unfortunate Off
spring.
But there is hope ahead for Willie. His
case, should recovery ensue, and DR.. w.
d. Kelly is confident he can be greatly
improved mentally and physically, is not
without precedent. DR.. William Osler,
professor of medicine in Johns Hopkins
university, reported in 1893 but eleven we'll
authenticated cases of typical cretinism
Up to 1897 he had found sixty distinct
cases, in different forms. One of these
cases Of infantile myxoedema under
treatment gained four inches in height
within fourteen months, besides improv-
ing wonderfully in the way of mental de-
Velopment and had learned to talk and
walk about. Another cretin in Syracuse,
n. Y, sixteen years of age, weighed but
forty and one-half pounds In 1895 it had
made a gain, under treatment, to a
weight of f1fty-one pounds. It's entire
skin was renewed and became as soft
and velVety as an infants Within eigh-
teen months more 1t gained three and
one-haf inches in height and increased In
weight to sixty-tWo and one-half pounds.
Its mental activity was also greatly
quickened. Another cretin, nineteen
years of age, was greatly deformed and
almost an imbecile. He was developed
wonderfully by skillful treatment and ar
rived at an almost normal stage of man
hood.
These are but few Of the cases men
toned by Dr. Osler, but 1t should be re-
membered that nearly all Of the sixty un-
fortunates were materially and some of
them wonderfully, improved. This is
shown by numerous photographs taken of
the subjects before and subsequent to
treatment.
1t is too early yet to notice any greatly
marked improvement in Willie Anderson;
that Is, to the unprofessional eye. But
it is said that even now there are plainly
developed indications that there is des-
tined to be radical change in the little
fellow for the better It is evident that
he is not wholly deficient In intellect, nor
has he ever been. He notices things and
persons, and when addressed says Eyes
or no. but In hardly an articulate man
ner. His voice is high-keyed baritone,
and his answers to questions are always
made with rising infection. The child
has no thyroid gland, has not grown a
pounds weight since 1t was two years
OiO, anu, a. lAIo( e1SS, ali OSNOlOpIIlSIIl,
physically and mentally, appears to have
been arrested. But, should he live, a
year from this time he is expected to
show a marked and satisfactory improve
ment in every way.
Mrs. Anderson has been frequently
urged by dime museum and side
show managers to allow the child
to be exhibited throughout the
country. To all such offers she has
turned a deaf ear and judiciously refused
to make a show of her boy. In fact, when
certain members Of the medical profess
sion offered to take Willie away for treat
ment, Mrs. Anderson replied that she
would not part with him; that she could
work and support him, but readily con-
scented to home treatment for the unfor-
tunate little fellow. 1t is this treatment
he is now receiving, and, judging from
the confidence shown by DR.. Kelly, there
is good ground for the belief that much
light will be let into the little darkened
mind and that the crooked form may be
Strengthened and made more into the
likeness of man.