Idiocy
a condition defined by Irebefore birth or before the evolution of the mental faculties in childhood; while or disease of the brain occurring either imbecility is generally used to denote a less decided degree of such mental incapacity." The difference between both less decided degree of such mental inconditions and dementia is that the dement was once sane and responsible, the ment was once sane and responsible, the mental capacity at all; they remained has been given to idiocy. There are great varieties of idiocy and imbecility.
Some of the lowest have no speech, no to take care of themselves, and can never son and another, no affection or hatred , be taught any of these things. In body son and another, no affection or hatred, such idiots are dwarfish, misshapen, ugly, with the features and expression of face often of the lowest of the lower animals, with no power of walking. This eties, they rise gradually being the condition of the lowest varibeing the condition of the lowest varially in the scale till but are slightly wanting in some essential mental faculty. and reach normal bo bodily development, their capacity for further development Idiots and imbeciles differ much in under even standard of average humanity, and can Some can be greatly elevated toward the even be rendered fit to earn their own labor, while others cannot be in any way standard of average humanity, and can Some can be greatly elevated toward the improved. They are especially subject tion, such as scrofula, consumption, ricklabor, while others cannot be in any way livelihood in simple trades of manual improved. They are especially subject generally. Two-thirds of idiots die of consumption. The great aims in treatment are to improve the bodily nutrition, the nervous and muscular action, and the senses. consumption. The great aims in treatligence by an education through the ligence by an education through the Some of them have one faculty habits, and to evolve the possible intel- the nervous and muscular action, and the favorable circumstances. 1 1 IDOLATRY tal power is weak. Some are good musicians. Some can calculate well, while others are ingenious in constructiveness.
Ireland classifies idiocy into 10 divisions: (1) Genetous, (2) Microcephalic, (3) Eclampsic, (4) Epileptic, (5) Hydrocephalic, (6) Paralytic, (7) Cretinic, (8) Traumatic, (9) Inflammatory, and (10) by deprivation of the senses.
From this it is seen that there are many pathological causes of the disease. It is a popular error to suppose that all idiots have small heads. Three-fifths of them have larger heads than average men, and only a few (the microcephalic) are small headed. It is quality more than quantity of brain that counts for mind. The general causes of idiocy have not yet been fully made out. It is unquestionably hereditary in at least 50 per cent.