File:The mental affections of children - idiocy, imbecility and insanity (1898) (14743216036).jpg

Identifier: 39002086346534.med.yale.edu
Title: The mental affections of children : idiocy, imbecility and insanity
Year: 1898 (1890s)
Authors: Ireland, William W.(William Wotherspoon),1832-1909
Subjects: Stupidity Mental retardation Children with mental disabilities Child psychiatry Mental Retardation Mental Disorders
Publisher: London : J. & A. Churchill Edinburgh : J. Thin
Contributing Library: Yale University, Cushing/Whitney Medical Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Open Knowledge Commons and Yale University, Cushing/Whitney Medical Library

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namel. The teeth, which are unusually late in makingtheir appearance, as in rickets, are very apt to decay early,especially in the upper jaw, so that it is rare to see a completeset of twenty-eight. In some instances there are fewer teethin the upper than in the lower jaw. The teeth are frequentlyill-formed; sometimes smaller or larger than normal.The wisdom teeth do not commonly appear at all.In many cases the teeth commence to decay two orthree years after they have come out. A greenish mouldappears at the margin of the gums ; they then rapidlybecome hollow and break in pieces. Often before idiotshave grown up, only two or three rotten stumps remain.This process may go on with great rapidity, three or fourteeth being lost in as many months. It is not generallyaccompanied with much pain, though the gums becomeswollen, and purulent matter is found round the cariousstumps. I found cleft palate in about 1 per cent, of idiotsexamined. Dr Langdon Down found it in one out of every n.AjK i.
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1 ■g 2 * - o CO +J CD O oenetous idiocy 47 two hundred cases. Cleft palate is not a hereditary deformity,and the causes which produce it do not seem to have anyconnection with those of genetous idiocy. Dr Langdon Down remarked that he had taken sometrouble to ascertain how frequently the syphilitic teeth, sodescribed by Mr Hutchinson, were to be met with among thefeeble-minded ; but he found very few among them to bethe subjects of congenital syphilis. In those rare cases inwhich he found syphilitic teeth he always had other evidenceof syphilis, and the condition of the teeth was alwaysassociated with chronic inflammation of the cornea. He hastherefore been led to the conclusion that syphilis is not byany means an important factor in the production of congenitalmental disease. The honeycombed teeth are perfectlydistinct from the syphilitic, and are manifestations of thatgrave perversion of nutrition which implicates in these casesevery tissue in the body. * * See Memoir by Dr J. Lan39002086346534.med.yale.edu

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