Arizona republican., 1899-10-30
LATE AND IMPORTANT PHASES OF
CHILD STUDY.
BY COLIN A. SCOTT. Phi. D.. Profess
SCR of Psychology and Child study
in the Chicago Normal School.
PRENATAL INFLUENCE.

It is u very old notion that the i'm
presSions received by a mother during
pregnancy are of the greatest impor-
lance for her child The author of the
| book of Genesis represents Jacob as
familiar with this conception in the
! breeding of animals.
Plato. in harmony with the general
Greek sentiment. recommended that
beautiful statues should be frequent in
public places in order to impress the
finest forms on the imagination of
mothers.
In the middle ages psychic qualities
We're also believed to be impressed The
fear OF James for naked sword, due
10 fright on his mothers part, is a
typical case. At the present day the
belief is widespread. Mrs Marho!n7e
attributes the deficient forms OF the
present generation of men to modern
clothing, which, as a series of shape
less cylinders expressing nothing but
the power of the money bag, conceals
the masculine forms which through
the imagination of the enciente woman.
ought to be transmitted to future gen
erations. Many medical men allege the
reality OF such transmission. DIR. Drze
Wiecki OF the University of Warsaw
cites the case of his own child. which
was born with mark on its leg in
the same place where he himself had
been wounded While swimming This
accident occurred during the first
month OF his wifes pregnancy and she
had been shocked and frightened by the
sight of the wound. Dr. Work of Pu-
eblo Colo. after an analysis of twenty
four such cases, concluded that the
Of
be urged upon our municipal authori-
ties that the distorted stumps of the
organ grinder might be removed from
the public thoroughfares and the dis
ease-corroded tramp be deferred from
soliciting aims from every housewife
who may chance to answer his knock"
If there is truth in this belief which
has resisted so much scientific skepti
cism, it is a matter CT the greatest i'm
portance. for in sucn case the educa-
ton of u child really begins before its
birth and al 4 time when acquired
of mind or body have by
virtue Of their position in the chiiG's
development a much larger signiii-
canoe than they could have at any later
period But if not. even the grossest
superstition generally means some
thing. and if the alleged matters of
wives tales. the psychological tenden-
cies which originated them at least de-
mand attention.
In the first place II is to be observed :
that the evidence presented is gener- I
ally OF a most hearsay character In J.
The most Of cases it is after the birth
IF the child that the physical and men (
al characteristics are stated TO CORE /
spond with impressions received before Z
birth. There is hardly a mother who +
las not had during pregnancy some /
right or peculiar desire or fear, /
marked enough at least to be remen-
3ered for a short time but which IS
naturally forgotten when no evil result ,
s seen to follow. experimenting the
violence of this character. DR. Hunter
las collected 1000 cases where mothers
we're asked in every instance before the
birth of the child if they had expert
need any apprehension or mental emo
ion which they might think would
ause any mark or deforBiity. and al
hough many of the 1000 children were
marked in some way or another, in
Tot one single case did the resulting
mark correspond with the apprehen-
ion Of the mother. L is easy to see
hat if the opportunity had been given
ftcr instead of before the appearance
+ the child it would be a very unim-
ginative woman indeed who would not
e able TO member something in her
Experience which the irregularity o.
evelopment could not suggest.
It must be observed that a very
light acquaintance with the science Of
m bryo1ogy discounts u large number
T these stories. Different organs have
periods of development. The
7=e re- c.J0aai1l
ryan until comparatively late The
lost distant portions of the e11tremi-
les are developed first, the fingers be
ore the palm. the hand before the
orearn. the forearm before the arm ,
roper Generally speaking. the POI
ions al the sides of the body are de- .
clopcd before the parts in the middle. :
ne Joining Of the two halves occurring !
,tcr Each outer half of the eye de-
eloDs before the inner half The VarI-
us; organs and even parts Of organs, +
ave their nasccnt periods. and if we ,
car of a shock which is said TO have ;
ccasioncd harelip. for example. which ;
as been received after the period
hen the two separately developer I
aIyes Of the palate normally unite TO
1rm d single plate between the ages j
f eight and ten weeks of foetal hIe) =
e can be absolutely certain that tins 5
hook has had no effect in producing 6
he dcformity, since the palate has al ,
lady been in existence in the form Y
resented at birth before the advent Of &
le so-called impression. Harelip ana I
eft palate are very common defects, |
according TO Dr. Hatfield o. i
hicago, in twenty-five out of 1O9 cases G
maternal impressions reported TO {
i'm. They are plainly instances of ar G
,sted development taking place at the I
me when the two halves of the palatc ,
lpuld have been Joined together Lack /,
developme ntaI energy on the part of 5