Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-06-18
ovel Dispensary Is Opened at Providence Hospita

and twenty cases of mental -etardation
have been under observation and
treatment by Dr. Thomas V Moore
and DR.. kenealy.
The patient in one case was boy of
fourteen, hardly able to stand alone
and unable 10 walk. because The nerves
would not carry the proper MESA ae
to the muscles of his arms and legs
He was turned over to the train ed
social worker. Miss Eunice Whyte, for
the Binet-Simon examination. which
consists of "A series Of tests, standardized
by the answers of many hundreds of
normal children of the same age as
the patient, to ascertain his power of
concentration, memory and expression.
He had to name the days of the week
and the months Of the year, and to
arrange a series of eight blocks ac-
cording to weight, name coins, make
change, construct sentences, repeat
meaningless numbers. define simple
things like table" baby and horse"
and make certain diagrams His an
swerS were charted
Then Di. kenealy tested touch, sight,
hearing. taste and examined throat,
heart. lungs ard nerve refexes If
anything shsould be found out of order
the patient would be sent to one of the
other clinics or perhaps upstairs to
Or. John Foote. who is in charge Of
the childrens ward. where he would
he repaired by operation or whatever
treatment was necessary-that is. if
With the data before him which his
assistants have gathered Dr. Moore
takes the patient in hand for diagnosis
ana treatment. In this particular case
ne recognized that the main tract in
the spinal cord was so deteriorated that
IL could not carry messages properly
from the brain. He knew from the pa :
uents inability to move his eyes to
Tlght or lett, while he could raise or
lower them, the point which the deteri-
Grafton had reached. He knew that
the diseased nerve could not he re-
stored, and concluded that the only
help Tor the boy was to educate new
nerves and new muscles to take I'M the
duties of those which were useless A.
cordlngly course of home exercises
was prescribed, his mother was TO-
pldden TO treat him as a helpless baby.
ne promised that he would dress him ;
self. and Miss Whyte was directed ~
visit him in his home to put him
through regular daily exercises. In
thls way be probably will become ahIe
TO do many things for himself and pain
control. to some extent. Of his srr, q
and legs. '' afhiS
one little patient. whose mother is
In an asylum, was sent from an insti-
tuition. She was nervous, sullen and
showed many indications of tendency
to follow the mother The doctor sent
her for two-week visit to a cheerfu,
family where there were children of
her own age to play with She came
back bright and happy, with marked
ly changed symptoms She was sent
back to the family and is now nearly
normal
Another interesting case is that Of
az dwarf whose Binet tests showed
mental operations away below par. but
DR.. Moore found a deficient thyroid.
Treatment has brought wonderful re-
suits. and she will grow into a normal
woman in body and mind With the
renewal of vigor rolls Of fat fell from
her face and expression returned to
her countenance.
Not all treatments result favorabIy.
for nerve tissue cannot be repaired
and brains cannot be made over. but
DIR. Moore believes that even the weak
ened body and mind may in many cases
be improved by education and the
creation Of the risRk mental attitude.