Summary of the Biographic History of an Idiot Boy
Admitted at the Age of 3 Years, and Dismissed at the Age of 17
Outline: Father an alcoholic.—Mother subject to migraine.—No consanguinity between the parents. Equality of ages (difference of two years).—A sister died of convulsions.—Conception during an alcoholic excess on the part of the father.—Albuminuria during pregnancy.—The child cried both night and day.—Twitchings of the body and head.—Did he ever have convulsions?—Fits of anger.—At the time of admission, he could neither speak nor walk (July 30, 1881, age 3 years).—The child has involuntary emissions of fæces and urine (is uncleanly).
September, 1884.—The child has learned to walk.
1885.—Development of speech.—The child is beginning to give notice of its natural necessities.
1886.—The child is no longer uncleanly.—The twitchings of head and body and the fits of anger have diminished.
1887-1890.—Progressive improvement, with alternate progressive and stationary periods.
1891.—Description of the patient.
1892-1897.—Physical and intellectual evolution.—Progress in studies.—Acquirement of a trade.—Results.
Remote Antecedents. (Notes furnished by the mother.)—Father: 35 years old, tailor's cutter, large, strong, of calm temperament, a smoker; numerous excesses of alcoholic beverages, especially absinthe—as many as eleven a day; venereal excesses; came home intoxicated almost every day; never had convulsions in infancy, nor any nervous shock; suffered only from eczema. No syphilis.—Father's Family: Paternal grandfather a mason, sober, died of heart disease. Paternal grandmother, of calm temperament, enjoyed good health. No other information regarding paternal ancestry.—Mother: 33 years old, seamstress, good health, regular features; no convulsions in infancy. Menstruated at age of 13 years, married at 20. Suffered from migraine since she was nine years old. These headaches lasted three days and occurred at the menstrual periods, ceasing throughout pregnancy and lactation. The symptoms were: headache, buzzing in the ears, to the point of deafness, and vision of sparks before the eyes. The attacks terminated with vomiting. Mother's Family: Father sober and in good health; mother died of influenza. No information regarding either the ascendant or collateral branches; but there seem to have been no other cases of nervous disease in the family. No consanguinity, no disparity in ages. Brothers and Sisters of the Patient: The mother of D—— had five children; the first, a boy ten years and a half old, intelligent, no convulsions; the second, a girl, died at fourteen months, after having convulsions that continued for eight days; the third, a girl, seven years old, intelligent, no convulsions; the fourth, the patient in question; the fifth, a girl, born after D——'s admission to the asylum; she is intelligent and healthy, no convulsions.
Near Antecedents. The child's mother is convinced that the conception took place during alcoholic intoxication. Pregnancy was accompanied by generalised œdema from the fifth month onward, due to albuminuria. No eclampsia. No fainting fits, etc. Delivery timely, difficult, but accomplished naturally. The child at birth was strong and not asphyxiated. Was nursed by the mother for the first two months, after which he depended upon hired nurses and artificial feeding (was sent to the country where he was fed chiefly from the bottle). Was returned to the mother at the age of eleven months; could not walk; would eat anything within reach of his hands, coal, excrements. Cried continually, day and night, to the great disturbance of the neighbours. Cut his first tooth at five months; and at the age of three years the first dentition was not yet completed. Has a habit of swaying his body forward and backward; beats his head against the wall, the chairs, etc., and strikes his forehead with his clenched fist. Has habitual constipation. Is extremely affectionate, loves to be caressed. Yet he will bite anyone who approaches him, including his brothers and sisters. It cannot be learned whether when he was staying with the wet-nurse he ever had convulsions. It is certain that he had none after his return to the family. The habit of onanism dates from the time of his return from the nurse. Vaccinated at 13 months, slight attack of varioloid at the age of two years; no other infectious diseases. No manifestation of scrofula; no traumatism.
Objective Examination of the Patient (omitted).—The history is accompanied by eight photographs of the boy, taken respectively at the ages of 3, 4, 6, 8, 11, 15, and 16 years, three of which, namely, those taken at the ages of 6, 11 and 16, are reproduced on page ([278]).