Library Collections: Document: Full Text

From Chambers' Journal.

As superintendent of an asylum for the insane in one of the northern counties of England, I had for some time felt desirous of visiting Paris, for the purpose of examining the methods there pursued for cultivating the faculties and improving the habits of children of naturally weak intellect. This visit I was lately able to perform; and considering that what I saw may be usefully made known in my own country, I beg leave to do so through the medium of the Edinburgh Journal.*

* This paper has been forwarded to us from a respectable quarter, and though referring to a subject already noticed in these pages, its importance to society, not to speak of its consolatoriness to many an unhappy parent, induces us to give it a place -- ED. C. E. J.

The principal establishment for the reception of idiot children at Paris is the Bicêtre, a large hospital pleasantly situated on a rising ground a short way from town. Aware that the French begin their labors at an early hour, and anxious fully to examine the subject which attracted me to this famed institution, I set out from my hotel soon after break of day on a fine autumn morning in the month of October. Before reaching my destination the sun had completely risen, and shed his beams over the stately and venerable old palace, which, placed on a gentle eminence at the end of a long avenue of trees, formed a striking and imposing pile. Soon after passing the massive portals which form the main entrance, I found, on making inquiry, that I had arrived fully two hours before the time of opening the school for idiots. This circumstance, though causing a little loss of time, gave me, however, the opportunity of first walking through the whole establishment, and also of inquiring very narrowly into the state of several congenital idiots, who were loitering or playing in the yard adjoining the building devoted to their reception. After strolling about for some time, I stepped into one of the rooms, where several of the young inmates were separated from their fellows, owing to the prevalence of an epidemic ophthalmia which had recently broken out among them. The greater number were placed in bed, and were receiving the attention and appliances which their present condition rendered necessary. Three of them, who had recovered from the ophthalmia, were seated at a small table, partaking of excellent soup. They sat in an orderly and decorous manner, and took their food without scattering it or smearing the person -- a circumstance nearly always observable in the neglected idiot. At the request of the interne, who kindly accompanied me, the youngest of the three rose from his seat, and repeated one of Lamartine's fables very distinctly, and with much spirit. During this recitation the others ceased to eat, and appeared to listen with pleasure to the display made by their young friend. Conceiving that this child manifested a precocity and irregularity rather than a deficiency of intellect, I intimated my wish that his cap should be removed, so that I could have the opportunity of examining the shape of his head. He immediately made the attempt to comply, but finding that the strings had become knotted under his chin, he showed some signs of impatience at the obstruction. One of the idiots, seeing his difficulty, rose from his seat, and rendered him the necessary assistance, by carefully untying the knot. I remarked that this youth, who thus noticed the dilemma of his companion, and then immediately relieved him, had all the characteristic appearance of a genuine idiot. I could not observe this simple occurrence without becoming at once sensible that much had been done for these poor creatures, who, born with an imperfect mental organization, have been made capable of exercising the faculties of observation, comprehension, and a power of application, which, a few years ago, it would have been thought impossible to communicate to them.

After waiting a little while, the arrival of M. Vallée, the courteous and spirited instructor of the youths, was announced. I was conducted by him to a spacious room, in which were assembled about forty idiots. They were arranged along three sides of the room, and were standing still in a most orderly manner. The majority of them appeared to be about twelve or fourteen years of age; a few seemed to be not more than seven or eight; and a still smaller number had perhaps reached their twentieth year. There were no indications of impatience, no involuntary movements, gesticulations, nor any of those disagreeable moaning whining sounds known to be common among this class of persons. All seemed attentive, and ready to enter upon their exercises. I cast my eye around the room, with the view of ascertaining, from external conformation, whether the young people standing before me were truly congenital idiots. I recognized a few who had previously attracted my attention as having all the characteristics of this class in a marked degree, and most of the others presented similar indications, such as stinted growth, small and peculiarly-shaped head, and singular form and vacant expression of countenance. Satisfied that I saw before me a number of human beings born with that species of imperfect organization in which the understanding does not become developed, I waited with no small interest for the commencement of their exercises.