In September 1805, I again saw the boy: he was then thirteen years of age, had grown very tall, and appeared to be in good health. He recollected me immediately, and mentioned the words, school Moorfields, nasty physic. On meeting with some of the female patients, he perfectly remembered them, and seemed for the moment, much pleased at the renewal of the acquaintance. By this time, he had made comparatively, a great progress in language; he knew the names of ordinary things, and was able to tell correctly the street in which he resided, and the number of his house. His mother informed me that he was particularly fond of going to church, although he was unable to comprehend the purpose for which he went: when there, he conducted himself with great order and decorum, but was disposed to remain after the congregation had dispersed. To shew how little he understood, why he frequented a place of worship: his mother once took him to church on Sacrament-sunday, and fearful of disturbing the persons assembled, by compelling him to return home, allowed him to be a spectator of those solemn administrations. The only reflexion he made on the subject, but in disjointed expressions, was, that he thought it extremely hard, that the ladies and gentlemen should eat rolls and drink gin, and never ask him to partake. In his person he was clean, and dressed himself with neatness. Having been taught when in the hospital to use a bowl for his necessary occasions, he obstinately continued the same practice when he returned home, and could never be persuaded to retire to the closet of convenience; but the business did not terminate here, when he had evacuated his intestines into the bowl he never failed to paint the room with its contents. To watch other boys when they were playing, or to observe the progress of mischief, gave him great satisfaction: but he never joined them, nor did he ever become attached to any one of them. Of his mother he appeared excessively fond, and he was constantly caressing her: but in his paroxysms of fury he felt neither awe nor tenderness, and on two occasions he threw a knife at her. Although equally ignorant of letters, as when discharged from the hospital, he took great delight in having gilt books; indeed every thing splendid attracted his attention, but more especially soldiers and martial music. He retained several tunes, and was able to whistle them very correctly. The day on which I last saw him his mind was completely occupied with soldiers; when questions were put to him, if he answered them it was little to the purpose, generally he did not notice them, but turned round to his mother and enquired about the soldiers.
The defect of this lad’s mind, appeared to be a want of continued attention to things, in order to become acquainted with their nature; and he possessed less curiosity than other children, which serves to excite such attention: and this will in some degree explain, why he had never acquired any knowledge of things in a connected manner. His sentences were short, and he employed no particles to join them together. Although he was acquainted with the names of many things, and also with expressions which characterize passion, he applied them in an insulated way. For instance, if a shower fell, he would look up and say, “rains;” or when fine, “sun shines.” When in the street he would pull his mother, to arrest her attention, and point to objects, as a fine horse, or a big dog; when he returned home he would repeat what had attracted his notice, but always speaking of himself in the third person. “Billy see fine horse, big dog, &c.”[12] Of circumstances boldly impressed, or reiterated by habit, his memory was retentive, but as his attention was only roused by striking appearances, or loud intonations, ordinary occurrences passed by unobserved.
In the month of July 1803, my opinion was requested respecting a young gentleman, ten years of age, who was sent here, accompanied by a kind and decent young man, to take care of him. Previously to his arrival I had corresponded respecting his case with a very learned and respectable physician in the country, under whose care the boy had been placed. From the information furnished by this gentleman, and that which was collected from the keeper, I believe the former history of his case is correctly given.
The parents are persons of sound mind, and they do not remember any branches of their respective families to have been (in any manner) disordered in their intellects. The subject of the present relation was their eldest son; the second child was of a disposition remarkably mild; and the youngest, a boy, about two years and a half, was distinguished by the irritability and impatience of his temper. At the age of two years, the subject of the present relation, became so mischievous and uncontroulable, that he was sent from home to be nursed by his aunt. In this situation, at the request of his parents, and with the concurrence of his relation, he was indulged in every wish, and never corrected for any perverseness or impropriety of conduct. Thus he continued until he was nearly nine years old, the creature of volition and the terror of the family. At the suggestion of the physician, whom I have before mentioned, and who was the friend of his parents: a person was appointed to watch over him. It being the opinion of the doctor that the case originated in over indulgence and perverseness; a different system of management was adopted. The superintendant was ordered to correct him for each individual impropriety. At this time the boy would neither dress nor undress himself, though capable of doing both; when his hands were at liberty, he tore his clothes: he broke every thing that was presented to him, or which came within his reach, and frequently refused to take food. He gave answers only to such questions as pleased him, and acted in opposition to every direction. The superintendant exercised this plan for several months, but perhaps not to the extent laid down; for it may be presumed, that after a a few flagellations his humanity prevailed over the medical hypothesis. When he became the subject of my own observation, he was of a very healthy appearance, and his head was well formed; this was also the opinion of several gentlemen, distinguished for their anatomical knowledge, to whom the boy was presented. His tongue was unusually thick, though his articulation was perfectly distinct. His countenance was decidedly maniacal.[13] His stature, for his age, was short, but he was well compacted, and possessed great bodily strength. Although his skin was smooth and clear, it was deficient in its usual sensibility; he bore the whip and the cane with less evidence of pain than other boys. Another circumstance convinced me of this fact. During the time he resided in London he was troubled with a boil on his leg; various irritating applications were made to the tumor, and the dressings were purposely taken off with less nicety than usual, yet he never complained. His pulse was natural, and his bowels were regular. His appetite was good, but not inordinate, and he bore the privation of food for a considerable time without uneasiness. Although he slept soundly, he often awoke as if suddenly alarmed, and he seemed to require a considerable duration of sleep.
He had a very retentive memory, and had made as great proficiency in speech as the generality of boys of his own age. Few circumstances appeared to give him pleasure, but he would describe very correctly any thing which had delighted him. As he wanted the power of continued attention, and was only attracted by fits and starts, it may be naturally supposed he was not taught letters, and still less that he would copy them. He had been several times to school, and was the hopeless pupil of many masters, distinguished for their patience and rigid discipline; it may therefore be concluded, that from these gentlemen, he had derived all the benefits which could result from privations to his stomach, and from the application of the rod to the more delicate parts of his skin.
On the first interview I had with him, he contrived, after two or three minutes acquaintance, to break a window and tear the frill of my shirt. He was an unrelenting foe to all china, glass, and crockery ware, whenever they came within his reach he shivered them instantly. In walking the street, the keeper was compelled to take the wall, as he uniformly broke the windows if he could get near them, and this operation he performed so dextrously, and with such safety to himself, that he never cut his fingers. To tear lace and destroy the finer textures of female ornament, seemed to gratify him exceedingly, and he seldom walked out without finding an occasion of indulging this propensity. He never became attached to any inferior animal, a benevolence so common to the generality of children: to these creatures his conduct was that of the brute: he oppressed the feeble, and avoided the society of those more powerful than himself. Considerable practice had taught him that he was the cat’s master, and whenever this luckless animal approached him he plucked out its whiskers with wonderful rapidity; to use his own language, “I must have her beard off.” After this operation, he commonly threw the creature on the fire, or through the window. If a little dog came near him he kicked it, if a large one he would not notice it. When he was spoken to, he usually said, “I do not choose to answer.” When he perceived any one who appeared to observe him attentively, he always said, “Now I will look unpleasant.” The usual games of children afforded him no amusement; whenever boys were at play he never joined them: indeed, the most singular part of his character was, that he appeared incapable of forming a friendship with any one: he felt no considerations for sex, and would as readily kick or bite a girl as a boy. Of any kindness shewn him, he was equally insensible; he would receive an orange as a present, and afterwards throw it in the face of the donor.
To the man who looked after him, he appeared to entertain something like an attachment: when this person went out of the room, and pretended that he would go away, he raised a loud outcry, and said, “what will become of me, if he goes away; I like him, for he carries the cane which makes me a good boy:” but it is much to be doubted, whether he really bore an affection for his keeper; the man seemed to be of a different opinion, and said, when he grew older he should be afraid to continue with him, as he was persuaded the boy would destroy him, whenever he found the means and opportunity.
Of his own disorder he was sometimes sensible: he would often express a wish to die, for he said, “God had not made him like other children;” and when provoked, he would threaten to destroy himself.
During the time he remained here, I conducted him through the hospital, and pointed out to him several patients who were chained in their cells; he discovered no fear or alarm; and when I shewed him a mischievous maniac who was more strictly confined than the rest, he said, with great exultation, “this would be the right place for me.” Considering the duration of his insanity, and being ignorant of any means by which he was likely to recover, he returned to his friends, after continuing a few weeks in London.