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PubMed1968

[Epidemiology of mental retardation in Poland].

In 490 Polish school districts 260 heavily imbecile children (I.Q. from 0 to 49), i.e., 0.30 percent of all children aged 5 to 15, among them 151 boys and 109 girls, were found by twenty teams composed of neuropsychiatrists, psychologists, and statisticians. The Langdon-Down syndrome was found in 39 cases (0.51 per thousand). 40.7 percent of the children had brothers and sisters that were weak-minded or afflicted with other psychic disorders. For 93 children it was possible to establish birth asphyxia. The proportion of children who because of imbecility are unable to attend normal schools amounts to 2.0 percent.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Pedigrees, propaganda, and paranoia: family studies in a historical context.

This article reviews the uses of family studies carried out in the early 20th century under the banner of eugenics, a companion discipline to early genetics. It explores how, in an attempt to analyze and quantify purportedly biologic bases of social problems, the eugenicists constructed pedigree charts of notoriously "defective" families. Investigation of individuals with suspect traits formed the basis for instruction of field workers who linked those traits to larger groups. The resulting eugenic family studies provided a "scientific" face for a popular hereditarian mythology that claimed to explain all social failure in systematic terms. The eugenicists were successful in fueling public fear about the growing "army of idiots and imbeciles" graphically depicted in their pedigree charts. Their success was the result of a finely crafted educational program--propaganda that reduced science to simplistic terms. The tendency to oversimplify concepts of genetic causation and the rush to amplify the significance of research findings through the popular media is also apparent today. What begins as publicity has the potential to be transformed into propaganda. Although many in the scientific community are understandably reluctant to revisit the abuses of the past, that community must confront the history of eugenics as a necessary antidote to the genetic hype that surrounds us.

Bioethics↗
PubMed1978

Variant chromosome 3 (inv3) in normal newborns and their parents, and in children with mental retardation.

The chromosomes of 102 normal newborn babies (51 boys and 51 girls) born at term, their parents, and 45 nonrelated children with mental retardation at the level of imbecility were investigated by fluorescence microscopy using propyl quinacrine mustard. In each of the 11 families, one of the parents had a variant chromosome 3 that was interpreted as resulting from a pericentric inversion of the brilliant band (or C band) only (inv3). In four cases inv3 was transmitted to the child. The frequency of inv3 in newborn boys and girls was 2 and 6% respectively, and in adult men and women 5 and 6% respectively. In children with mental retardation of unknown etiology the inv3 was detected in five cases (11.1%). This difference from normal persons was not significant.

Child↗
PubMed1975

[An autopsy case of olivocerebellar and thalamic degeneration, diffuse sclerosis and hypertrophic neuropathy: infantile system degeneration? (author's transl)].

The brain of a 21-year-old man with imbecility and spastic tetraplegia since early childhood showed a diffuse sclerosis of the cerebral white matter and symmetrical degeneration of the thalamus and olivocerebellar system. The spinal nerve roots as well as proximal branches of the spinal nerves were hypertrophic and there was seen a marked fibrosis with some onion-bulb formations of Schwann cells. In spite of a possible relation to an unknown infection at the age of 3 months this case could preferably be regarded as a peculiar form of the combined system degeneration in the early childhood, including the cerebral white matter and peripheral nerves. An uncle of the patient had died of a similar nervous disease at the age of 20 years.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

[Koenen, Kothe and peri-ungual fibroma in tuberous sclerosis].

The periungual fibromas in tuberous sclerosis are also known as Koenen tumors. Joannes Henricus Maria Koenen was born on March 10, 1893, in Eindhoven and died in Bois-le-Duc May 29, 1956. From 1910 to 1918 he studied medicine at the University of Amsterdam. Then he worked as a physician at the "Coude-water" asylum in Rosmalen and from 1929 in the "Voorburg" asylum in Vught. In 1932 he published his publication concerning a family with tuberous sclerosis in which photographs of periungual fibromas are shown. His thesis in 1933 at the University in Leiden was titled "Imbecility in children. Its Importance in pedagogic and social regard, by reason of an investigation in some communities in Noord-Brabant". Later he was appointed director of a state mental institution. The periungual fibromas in tuberous sclerosis were first described by Richad Kothe in Munich in 1903.

Fibroma↗
PubMed1998

Guidelines for return to contact or collision sport after a cervical spine injury.

Pro football is a violent, dangerous sport. To play it other than violently would be "imbecilic," according to the late Vince Lombardi. Many sports hold the potential for serious permanent spine and spinal cord injury. Fortunately, the incidence of catastrophic spine and spinal cord injuries has dramatically declined in the past 10 to 15 years. This decline is, in part, attributable to the development of sports-related spine injury registries, the education of the pathomechanics of these injuries, and the implementation of appropriate preventive measures. This article focuses on sports-related spinal cord and nerve injuries, ranging from the mild "stinger" syndrome to complete quadriplegia, with emphasis on recommendations for return to competition.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Sentenced in sorrow: the role of asylum in the Jean Gianini murder defence.

This paper describes the role played by the notion of asylum in the legal battle over confessed murderer Jean Gianini's mental competence and commitment. Gianini was a 16 year old who murdered his former teacher in a small upstate New York town in 1914. His trial was the first in the US to employ the Binet-Simon intelligence test as a defence and featured a clash of expert witnesses whose credibility was based upon their residence and work in asylums. The verdict of 'not guilty due to criminal imbecility' was due to the defence team's successful portrayal of the asylum as a punishing prison from which the defendant would never be released.

Commitment of Persons with Psychiatric Disorders↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Association of Saethre-Chotzen and fra-X syndrome].

Report of an association of Saethre-Chotzen- and fragile X-Syndrome in a 19-years old imbecile with autism and aggressiveness. Both syndromes exhibit symptoms of minimal brain damage and disorders of personality.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗
PubMed2006

Experimental confirmation by Sir Victor Horsley of the relationship between thyroid gland dysfunction and myxedema.

Whereas Sir Victor Horsley is well known for his many contributions to neurosurgery, this is not the case for his treatments for both myxedema and cretinism. Horsley's research on thyroid physiology was concentrated in the years 1884-1890, while he was director of the Brown Institute for Animals. Based upon experimentation with dogs and monkeys as well as some human patients, Horsley demonstrated conclusively that removal of the thyroid gland produced tremors, rigidity, and paralysis, which he attributed to changes in lower motor centers. Furthermore, the development of imbecility suggested that thyroid excision produced deficits in higher cortical functioning. Horsley showed that it was possible to alleviate temporarily some of the psychological and physiological symptoms of both myxedema and cretinism using transplanted thyroid tissue. Several of Horsley's students, most notably George Murray, continued and extended his work by examining other ways in which myxedema and cretinism could be treated (e.g., by injecting an extract of thyroid tissue).

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Rethinking mental retardation: education and eugenics in Connecticut, 1818-1917.

This case study of mental retardation in Connecticut during 1818-1917 questions the existing model of interpretation. The discovery of mental retardation in Connecticut did not emanate from social fear over those who were different, difficult, or dangerous. Nor did state government initiate the institutionalization of the feeble-minded. Instead, Dr. Henry M. Knight, who founded the private Connecticut School for Imbeciles in 1858, was motivated by antebellum religious benevolence. His altruism was additionally motivated by cultural concerns to shape behavior according to middle-class, Protestant norms. By the end of the century, his son and successor Dr. George H. Knight departed from his father's emphasis on education and assimilation to embrace eugenics and segregation of the mentally retarded. Connecticut's pioneering marital ban (1895) and sterilization law (1909) were, however, virtually ineffective. Instead, the state sponsored in 1917 a large-scale custodial facility that sought to isolate the feeble-minded, whom reformers now portrayed as a menace to society. In sum, the Knights show a clear departure in policy between the first and second generation of administrators.

Attitude to Health↗
PubMed1975

A case of Déjerine-Sottas disease with schizophrenic symptoms. A clinical and pathological study.

A case of hypertrophic interstitial neuritis with a disturbance of intelligence and schizophrenic symptoms was reported. The patient, a 41-year-old male, showed monologia at the age of 14 and auditory hallucination at the age of 21. He was diagnosed as schizophrenia. Torsion of the head to the right side and muscular atrophy were also noticed at 21 years. Atrophy of the muscles progressed gradually, particularly in the distal parts of the upper and lower extremeties. Psychiatric examination revealed schizophrenic symptoms such as auditory hallucination, thought disorder, lack of spontaneity, autism, apathy, etc. There was also a disturbance of intelligence (imbecility). In neurological examination, the torsion of the head to the right side, slight exaggeration of the peripheral reflexes, muscular atrophy in the distal parts of the extremeties were noted. The bilateral ulnar nerves were markedly hypertrophied. The biopsy of the right ulnar nerve revealed a remarkable thickening of the endoneuria and "onion bulb" formations. A large amount of the interstitial accumulation of PAS positive substance, which showed metachromasia in cresyl violet staining, was also noted. Schwann cell processes were proved electron-microscopically to surround the myelin sheaths and some of them meandered and extended and into the metachromatic substance. The basement membrane of the sheath cell was hypertrophic in some portions and elongated into interstitium. The nucleus of the sheath cell was hyperchromic and showed marked atrophy. Histological examination of the biopsy specimen obtained from the gastrocnemius muscle suggested neurogenic muscular atrophy. The relationship among the hypertrophic interstitial neuritis, schizophrenic symptoms, disturbance of intelligence and torsion of the head was also discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

Epidemiology of Cornelia de Lange's syndrome.

A prevalence investigation of Cornelia de Lange's syndrome in Denmark is presented. The patients were traced by screening all institutional mentally retarded patients, patients in schools and kindergartens for imbecile patients and finally by getting information on Cornelia de Lange patients known to pediatric departments. In this way 24 patients, 10 men and 14 women, were found. This amounts to a population prevalence of 0.5/100 000. Clinical data, histories of the patients and genealogical data are presented by means of tables. The eldest patient was 49 years old, but 75% of the patients were younger than 20 years. Two of the probands were sibs. Another 2 sibs were registered as mentally retarded without specific syndromes. One case of consanguinity among parents was found. The mode of ascertainment is discussed and it is concluded that the present investigation presents a minimum prevalence figure. Four patients are presented who for various reasons were not available during the prevalence investigation proper. A prevalence figure of 0.6/100 000 is found if these 4 patients are included in the calculations. One of the last mentioned patients represented a familial case. The patient in question was a girl with a younger half-brother, the mother in common, both children being very typical cases of Cornella de Lange's syndrome.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Presidential address. Psychiatry today: the human dimensions.

Psychiatry finds itself today at the crossroads where science and humanism intersect. The history of our specialty includes some ignominious aspects, and many that are noble. Fear and loathing toward the depreciated imbecile and lunatic had at first to be overcome, and they were, and a humane and empathetic approach to patients eventuated. More than sympathy was called for--understanding was needed, and the methods of science have led to considerable such understanding: of causes, of syndromes, and of the efficacy of treatments. Effective therapies have permitted the extrapolation of humane treatment, so that many fewer patients require institutional care. Because of our desire to find simple, comprehensive and fully effective cures, and because of the tendency of the human mind to engage in wishful thinking, we have gone too far down several dead-end streets. We thought at one time that intensive, frequent, deep psychotherapy (including psychoanalysis) could correct or cure all ills, and we overprescribed that treatment to the detriment of some of our patients. We have learned that therein lies no panacea. We came to believe that hospitals caused more of the problems than they did in fact cause, and that it should be possible to treat all disorders within the community. As a result, we have disassembled some of our excellent institutions, for which there is still some need. At the same time, we have left too unprotected many of those who still require safe asylum, to their great disadvantage and to our public shame.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Canada↗
PubMed2004

Believing is seeing: visual conventions in Barr's classification of the "feeble-minded".

The eugenics era (c. 1900-1930) produced a strong desire among mental retardation professionals to recognize and control "the feeble-minded." Some eugenicists believed it was possible to classify individuals visually by learning to recognize what they believed to be observable characteristics of idiocy and imbecility. In this paper I used qualitative methods to examine the visual classification scheme developed by Martin Barr and conclude that most of this classification scheme is a social construction that was reliant on modes of presentation, such as clothing and photographic style, which had very little to do with any inherent feeble-mindedness.

Cognition↗
PubMed2005

Visual indictment: a contextual analysis of the Kallikak Family photographs.

The Kallikak Family is a pre-eminent text in the history of mental retardation and psychology in which Goddard (1912) claimed he proved the heritability of feeble-mindedness and the necessity of institutionalization. The book contains 14 photographs, some of which have been retouched. These photographs were interpreted in this paper within the context of clinical photography of the feeble-minded during the eugenics era, and the conclusion was made that the photographs are masterpieces of visual indictment propaganda that worked on the levels of assumed scientific objectivity, hovel imagery, mutually amplifying juxtapositions, stereotypic images of imbecility, and religious symbolism to achieve persuasiveness. A resolution of alleged "skullduggery" surrounding the retouching is presented.

History, 20th Century↗
PubMed1988

Immorality Amendment Act (No. 2 of 1988), 25 February 1988.

The major change made by this South African Act is the removal of gender-specific definitions of offenders and victims, so that offenses can now be committed by either sex with respect to victims of either sex. Thus, it is now an offense for a woman to have sexual intercourse or commit an act of indecency with a boy under the age of 16; it is an offense for a woman to have sexual intercourse with a male "idiot or imbecile"; it is an offense for parents to procure male children for sexual purposes; it is an offense for a male to be a prostitute; and lesbianism is an offense. The Act also 1) makes it a crime for any person to have unlawful sexual intercourse or commit an act of indecency with any other person for reward; 2) makes it a crime for a person negligently to perform for reward any act that enables a person to communicate with another person for the purpose of carnal intercourse or the commission of an act of indecency; and 3) establishes a presumption with respect to 2) as well as similar acts done with intent that, if certain facts are established, the accused will be presumed to have committed the act and contravened the law "unless the contrary is proved beyond a reasonable doubt." The latter two provisions are directed in part at escort services.

Africa↗
PubMed1976

[Dislocation of patella also a symptom of other diseases or consequence of local primary alteration of the scelet (author's transl)].

According to a large group of patients there is demonstrated the "symptomatic" dislocation of patella. It is a part of a system-disease, especially Onycho-osteo-arthro-dysplasia. Arthrogryposis multiplex. Freeman-Sheldon-syndrome, mongolism and children with debility or imbecility. There are discussed their pathogenesis and any consequences for diagnosis and treatment.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗