Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-06-06
PROPER TREATMENT OF IDIOTS.
Paris Hospital Has Inaugurated a Sys-
tenn Based on Science.

From the London Sphere. Sos
Few more impressive experiences can be
imagined than visit to the great Paris
hospital of the Saltpetriere a name which
the astounding investiga tons of the late
Prof. Charcot have rendered famous all the
world over. The Saltpetriere is a town with
in a town, with houses and streets and pub
lice places, but 1t is town from which the
divine spark of reason is almost banished
Modern science, however, after endless
groupings and by dint of inexhaustible pa
thence, has found the entrance to one hidden
chamber after another and If she has not
yet solved the secret of secrets seems to be
trembling on the brink of discovery. The
most intricate and obscure recesses of the
brain have been explored and many of the
delicate concealed springs of life laid bare.
The analysis of the mind diseased no longer
appears hopelessly beyond the scope of our
Intelligence. Hysteria, epilepsy, idiocy and
other of its mysterious manifestations have
lost much of their terror since their true
import and proper treatment have been
revealed.
Today one of the most interesting Sec
tons of the Saltpetriere is that so ably
presided over by one of Charcots most emf
nent successors Dr. Jules Voisin, the school
Tor degenerate children. Here that intellect
of which we are so proud is to be observed
reduced to its simplest expression. DR..
Voisin has set himself the charitable task
or awakening at least glimmer of intelli-
gence In the brains of these little disin-
herited human beings whom fate seemed to
nave destined to an existence of moral and
intellectual nullity more profound than that
of the beasts that perish. Only unf1agging
perseverance and indornitable good nature
could hope to achieve any result The chill
dren are received from the age of two and
upward Few of them can utter any artic-
uiate sounds; the greater number cannot
maintain their equilibrium; none are able
10 carry on the simplest mental operation.
Here is girl of fourteen. After years of
patient teaching she is still absolutely I'M
able to tell the sum of five and five. When
she Is asked the question her forehead
FUCKERS, her lips grow tremulous and her
fingers nervousfy lock and unlock She is
Msibly taxing the powers of her brain to
the utmost If only to please her kind In
structor, but all Intellectually.
how many fingers have you on your
right hand?' asks DR.. Voisin in soothing
tones Five after long reflection. "And
how many on your left -hafid?' Five y
after another long pause. And five and
nVe put together make how many?' The
problem is quite beyond her. At last after
being made to count over her fingers sepa-
rately one by one, she succeeds in giving
the correst answer. Tomorrow when asked
the same question she will once more be in
INC sdiHe PiSoicdinent anu Delore Step
is gained montns-perhaps years-will have
to elapse. And this girl is one of the
brightest of the pupils. To assist at such
a lesson is to have a keen intuition of the
martyrdom TO which other children are
ruthlessly subjected all the world over at
the hands of the less patient instructors un-
able to distinguish between sheer mental
incapacity and obstinacy. SIX Dr. Voisin
the origin of so much misery and suffering
and he will give You the answer you have
almost anticipat ted" alcoholic poisoning