Abstracts of Papers Read at the First International Eugenics Congress: University of London, July, 1912International Eugenics Congress (1st : 1912 : London)
Science
Abstracts of Papers Read at the First International Eugenics Congress: University of London, July, 1912
International Eugenics Congress (1st : 1912 : London)
Eugenics -- Congresses
II. Communication on Biometrika: Licentiates in medical science, 50
scholars, 1910: 70 in 1912. Dates: Cephalic index, stature, span,
dynamometer, age, district.
SOME REMARKS ON BACKWARD CHILDREN.
(Abstract.)
By Dr. Raoul Dupuy.
When we speak of a backward child, we mean any subject which is
arrested or retarded more or less completely in its bodily, psychical,
and sensorial evolution, in consequence of congenital and acquired
lesions, or simply in consequence of physiological troubles, which
concern, either at the same or a different time, the brain and
the glands of internal secretion (the thyroid, the hypophysis,
the suprarenals, and the genital glands). The cerebral lesions,
practically incurable in the present state of science, produce "atropic
backwardness" the functional troubles of the brain, or those caused by
the glands of internal secretion, which can be modified by "combined
organotherapy" produce dystrophic backwardness. We also, however, find
mixed types, half of the one and half of the other, which are similarly
susceptible of improvement. The number, and above all the variety of
the types of dystrophic backwardness, makes a general classification
of them impossible. The study of their bodily, psychical and sensorial
anomalies proves that in most of the manifestations of backwardness
and immaturity, these children present perversions of evolution which
have a common bearing on the development of body, mind and spirit.
Although apparently different from one another, these backward persons,
whether the mischief be corporal, psychical or sensorial, show
pathological peculiarities, which prove that the cause of their various
dystrophies have a similar origin, and that they often arise from
defective function of the sympathic system which appears to be brought
into action by the internal glands. The backward children consist
of intoxicated, under-grown or anæmic persons, who, besides, suffer
from retention of substances, which ought normally to be eliminated,
chiefly the chlorides and phosphates (in cases of apathy) or the hyper
excretion of the same substances (in cases of instability). Moreover,
the combined organotherapy ought to be considered as a "perfect
touchstone" of dystrophy, and if applied according to certain rules,
it gives results which are more complete and more certain than thyroid
organotherapy by itself. It goes without saying that a special training
is necessary for the intellectual "backwards"; but before any attempt
at education, it is necessary to treat their bodily deficiencies, and
to place them in the special schools with the boarding system, where
they will be under the eye both of the doctor and of the teacher.
FIRST INTERNATIONAL
EUGENICS CONGRESS,
LONDON,
July 24th to July 30th, 1912,
UNIVERSITY OF LONDON,
SOUTH KENSINGTON.
* * * * *
CATALOGUE
OF
THE EXHIBITION.
* * * * *
CHARLES KNIGHT & CO., Ltd.,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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