anomalies and curiosities of medicine-第105部分

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ganist；　a　native　of　Holland；　who　still　played　the　organ　as　well　as　ever。　He　could　distinguish　money　by　touch；　and　it　is　also　said　that　he　made　himself　familiar　with　colors。　He　was　fond　of　playing　cards；　but　became　such　a　dangerous　opponent；　because　in　shuffling　he　could　tell　what　cards　and　hands　had　been　dealt；　that　he　was　never　allowed　to　handle　any　but　his　own　cards。

It　is　not　only　in　those　who　are　congenitally　deficient　in　any　of　the　senses　that　the　remarkable　examples　of　compensation　are　seen；　but　sometimes　late　in　life　these　are　developed。　The　celebrated　sculptor；　Daniel　de　Volterre；　became　blind　after　he　had　obtained　fame；　and　notwithstanding　the　deprivation　of　his　chief　sense　he　could；　by　touch　alone；　make　a　statue　in　clay　after　a　model。　Le　Cat　also　mentions　a　woman；　perfectly　deaf；　who　without　any　instruction　had　learned　to　comprehend　anything　said　to　her　by　the　movements　of　the　lips　alone。　It　was　not　necessary　to　articulate　any　sound；　but　only　to　give　the　labial　movements。　When　tried　in　a　foreign　language　she　was　at　a　loss　to　understand　a　single　word。

Since　the　establishment　of　the　modern　high　standard　of　blind　asylums　and　deaf…and…dumb　institutions；　where　so　many　ingenious　methods　have　been　developed　and　are　practiced　in　the　education　of　their　inmates；　feats　which　were　formerly　considered　marvelous　are　within　the　reach　of　all　those　under　tuition　To…day；　those　born　deaf…mutes　are　taught　to　speak　and　to　understand　by　the　movements　of　the　lips　alone；　and　the　blind　read；　become　expert　workmen；　musicians；　and　even　draughtsmen。　D。　D。　Wood　of　Philadelphia；　although　one　of　the　finest　organists　in　the　country；　has　been　totally　blind　for　years。　It　is　said　that　he　acquires　new　compositions　with　almost　as　great　facility　as　one　not　afflicted　with　his　infirmity。　〃Blind　Tom；〃　a　semi…idiot　and　blind　negro　achieved　world…wide　notoriety　by　his　skill　upon　the　piano。

In　some　extraordinary　cases　in　which　both　sight　and　hearing；　and

sometimes　even　taste　and　smell；　are　wanting；　the　individuals　in　a　most　wonderful　way　have　developed　the　sense　of　touch　to　such　a　degree　that　it　almost　replaces　the　absent　senses。　The　extent　of　this　compensation　is　most　beautifully　illustrated　in　the　cases　of　Laura　Bridgman　and　Helen　Keller。　No　better　examples　could　be　found　of　the　compensatory　ability　of　differentiated　organs　to　replace　absent　or　disabled　ones。

Laura　Dewey　Bridgman　was　born　December　21；　1829；　at　Hanover；　N。H。　Her　parents　were　farmers　and　healthy　people。　They　were　of　average　height；　regular　habits；　slender　build；　and　of　rather　nervous　dispositions。　Laura　inherited　the　physical　characteristics　of　her　mother。　In　her　infancy　she　was　subject　to　convulsions；　but　at　twenty　months　had　improved；　and　at　this　time　had　learned　to　speak　several　words。　At　the　age　of　two　years；　in　common　with　two　of　the　other　children　of　the　family；　she　had　an　attack　of　severe　scarlet　fever。　Her　sisters　died；　and　she　only　recovered　after　both　eyes　and　ears　had　suppurated；　taste　and　smell　were　also　markedly　impaired。　Sight　in　the　left　eye　was　entirely　abolished；　but　she　had　some　sensation　for　large；　bright　objects　in　the　right　eye　up　to　her　eighth　year；　after　that　time　she　became　totally　blind。　After　her　recovery　it　was　two　years　before　she　could　sit　up　all　day；　and　not　until　she　was　five　years　old　had　she　entirely　regained　her　strength。　Hearing　being　lost；　she　naturally　never　developed　any　speech；　however；　she　was　taught　to　sew；　knit；　braid；　and　perform　several　other　minor　household　duties。　In　1837　Dr。　S。　W。　Howe；　the　Director　of　the　Massachusetts　Asylum　for　the　Blind；　took　Laura　in　charge；　and　with　her　commenced　the　ordinary　deaf…mute　education。　At　this　time　she　was　seven　years　and　ten　months　old。　Two　years　later　she　had　made　such　wonderful　progress　and　shown　such　ability　to　learn　that；　notwithstanding　her　infirmities；　she　surpassed　any　of　the　pupils　of　her　class。　Her　advancement　was　particularly　noticed　immediately　after　her　realization　that　an　idea　could　be　expressed　by　a　succession　of　raised　letters。　In　fact；　so　rapid　was　her　progress；　that　it　was　deemed　advisable　by　the　authorities　to　hold　her　back。　By　her　peculiar　sensibility　to　vibration　she　could　distinguish　the　difference　between　a　whole　and　a　half　note　in　music；　and　she　struck　the　notes　on　the　piano　quite　correctly。　During　the　first　years　of　her　education　she　could　not　smell　at　all；　but　later　she　could　locate　the　kitchen　by　this　sense。　Taste　had　developed　to　such　an　extent　that　at　this　time　she　could　distinguish　the　different　degrees　of　acidity。　The　sense　of　touch；　however；　was　exceedingly　delicate　and　acute。　As　to　her　moral　habits；　cleanliness　was　the　most　marked。　The　slightest　dirt　or　rent　in　her　clothes　caused　her　much　embarrassment　and　shame；　and　her　sense　of　order；　neatness；　and　propriety　was　remarkable。　She　seemed　quite　at　home　and　enjoyed　the　society　of　her　own　sex；　but　was　uncomfortable　and　distant　in　the　society　of　males。　She　quickly　comprehended　the　intellectual　capacity　of　those　with　whom　she　was　associated；　and　soon　showed　an　affiliation　for　the　more　intelligent　of　her　friends。　She　was　quite　jealous　of　any　extra　attention　shown　to　her　fellow　scholars；　possibly　arising　from　the　fact　that　she　had　always　been　a　favorite。　She　cried　only　from　grief；　and　partially　ameliorated　bodily　pain　by　jumping　and　by　other　excessive　muscular　movements。　Like　most　mutes；　she　articulated　a　number　of　noises；50　or　more；　all　monosyllabic；　she　laughed　heartily；　and　was　quite　noisy　in　her　play。　At　this　time　it　was　thought　that　she　had　been　heard　to　utter　the　words　doctor；　pin；　ship；　and　others。　She　attached　great　importance　to　orientation；　and　seemed　quite　ill　at　ease　in　finding　her　way　about　when　not　absolutely　sure　of　directions。　She　was　always　timid　in　the　presence　of　animals；　and　by　no　persuasion　could　she　be　induced　to　caress　a　domestic　animal。　In　common　with　most　maidens；　at　sixteen　she　became　more　sedate；　reserved　and　thoughtful；　at　twenty　she　had　finished　her　education。　In　1878　she　was　seen　by　G。　Stanley　Hall；　who　found　that　she　located　the　approach　and　departure　of　people　through　sensation　in　her　feet；　and　seemed　to　have　substituted　the　cutaneous　sense　of　vibration　for　that　of　hearing。　At　this　time　she　could　distinguish　the　odors　of　various　fragrant　flowers　and　had　greater　susceptibility　to　taste；　particularly　to　sweet　and　salty　substances。　She　had　written　a　journal　for　ten　years；　and　had　also　composed　three　autobiographic　sketches；　was　the　authoress　of　several　poems；　and　some　remarkably　clever　letters。　She　died　at　the　Perkins　Institute；　May　24；　1889；　after　a　life　of　sixty　years；　burdened　with　infirmities　such　as　few　ever　endure；　and　which；　by　her　superior　development　of　the　remnants　of　the　original　senses　left　her；　she　had　overcome　in　a　degree　nothing　less　than　marvelous。　According　to　a　well…known　observer；　in　speaking　of　her　mental　development；　although　she　was　eccentric　she　was　not　defective。　She　necessarily　lacked　certain　data　of　thought；　but　even　this　feet　was　not　very　marked；　and　was　almost　counterbalanced　by　her　exceptional　power　of　using　what　remained。

In　the　present　day　there　is　a　girl　as　remarkable　as　Laura　Bridgman；　and　who　bids　fair　to　attain　even　greater　fame　by　her　superior　development。　This　girl；　Helen　Keller；　is　both　deaf　and　blind；　she　has　been　seen　in　all　the　principal　cities　of　the　United　States；　has　been　examined　by　thousands　of　persons；　and　is　famous　for　her　victories　over　infirmities。　On　account　of　her　wonderful　power　of　comprehension　special　efforts　have　been　made　to　educate　Helen　Keller；　and　for　this　reason　her　mind　is　far　more　finely　developed　than　in　most　girls　of　her　age。　It　is　true　that　she　has　the　advantage　over　Laura　Bridgman　in　having　the　senses　of　taste　and　smell；　both　of　which　she　has　developed　to　a　most　marvelous　degree　of　acuteness。　It　is　said　that　by　odor　alone　she　is　always　conscious　of　the　presence　of　another　person；　no　matter　how　noiseless　his　entrance　into　the　room　in　which　she　may　be。　She　cannot　be　persuaded　to　take　food　which　she　dislikes；　and　is　never　deceived　in　the　taste。　It　is；　however；　by　the　means　of　what　might　be　called　〃touch…sight〃　that　the　most　miraculous　of　her　feats　are　performed。　By　placing　her　hands　on　the　face　of　a　visitor　she　is　able　to　detect　shades　of　emotion　which　the　normal　human　eye　fails　to　distinguish；　or；　in　the　words　of　one　of　her　lay　observers；　〃her　sense　of　touch　is　developed　to　such　an　exquisite　extent　as　to　form　a　better　eye　for　her　than　are　yours　or　mine　for　us；　and　what　is　more；　she　forms　judgments　of　character　by　this　sight。〃　According　to　a　recent　report　of　a　conversation　with　one　of　the　principals　of　the　school　in　which　her　education　is　being　completed；　it　is　said　that　since　the　girl　has　been　under　his　care　he　has　been　teaching　her　to　sing　with　great　success。　Placing　the　fingers　of　her　hands　on　the　throat　of　a　singer；　she　is　able　to　follow　notes　covering　two　octaves　with　her　own　voice；　and　sings　synchronously　with　her　instructor。　The　only　difference　between　her　voice　and　that　of　a　normal　person　is　in　its　resonant　qualities。　So　acute　has　this　sense　become；　that　by　placing　her　hand　upon　the　frame　of　a　piano　she　can　distinguish　two　notes　not　more　than　half　a　tone　apart。　Helen　is　expected　to　enter　the　preparatory　school　for　Radcliffe　College　in　the　fall　of　1896。

At　a　meeting　of　the　American　Association　to　Promote　the　Teaching　of　Speech　to　the　Deaf；　in　Philadelphia；　July；　1896；　this　child　appeared；　and　in　a　well…chosen　and　distinct　speech　told　the　interesting　story　of　her　own　progress。　Miss　Sarah　Fuller；　principal　of　the　Horace　Mann　School　for　the　Deaf；　Boston；　is　credited　with　the　history　of　Helen　Keller；　as　follows：

〃Helen　Keller's　home　is　in　Tuscumbia；　Ala。　At　the　age　of　nineteen　months　she　became　deaf；　dumb；　and　blind　after　convulsions　lasting　three　days。　Up　to　the　age　of　seven　years　she　had　received　no　instruction。　Her　parents　engaged　Miss　Sullivan　of　the　Perkins　Institute　for　the　Blind；　South　Boston；　to　go　to　Alabama　as　her　teacher。　She　was　familiar　with　methods　of　teaching　the　blind；　but　knew　nothing　about　instructing　deaf　children。　Miss　Sullivan　called　upon　Miss　Fuller　for　some　instruction　on　the　subject。　Miss　Fuller　was　at　that　time　experimenting　with　two　little　deaf　girls　to　make　them　speak　as　hearing　children　do；　and　called　Miss　Sul