84 On Idiotism. 
among whom it has originated. (a) It has 
been observed in the Pyrennees, among the 
mountains in the department of the Gard in 
France ; in the Alps, and the Apennines ; 
on the Tartarean side of the Chinese wall; 
and in the mountains of Bootan in the East, 
as wellas ina long range of marshy wood 
at their foot. Some account of the affection, 
among the inhabitants of the Vallais, is given 
by Sir Richard Clayton in the third volume 
of the Transactions of this Society; further 
observations were published by Coxe a short 
time afterwards, in his account of travels in 
Switzerland, and succeeding travellers have 
noticed the Alpine Idiot with more or less 
attention. But as nothing of a similar kind 
has been hitherto noticed in our own country, 
I have thought the statement of an analogous 
circumstance, with some remarks, could not 
be uninteresting to the Society, especially 
(a) On sait qu’on donne dans le Valais le nom de Cretins a des 
imbécilles qui ont ordinairement de tres-gros ,goitres, et que cette ma- 
ladie est endemique dans quelques vallees des Alpes.***. Dans la 
Vallée d’ Aoste, ot il y en a peut-étre encore plus que dans le Valais, 
on les nomme Marons. 
Vid. Saussure. Voyages dans les Alpes, Tom2. § 954. 
Dans quelques vallées, On ces maladies sont endemiques, on leur 
donne encore le nom de Bienheureus, et apres leur mort, on conserve, 
avec veneration, leurs béquilles et leurs vétemens. 
Fodere. ‘Traitedu Goitre et du Cretinisme. 1. 
