Chapter X 

 Feeblc'^inindedness 



RELIABLE estimates shew that out of every 1000 

 persons in this country there are between four and 

 five who may be described as feeble in mind, imbeciles, or 

 idiots. The total number in England and Wales of those 

 who are so poorly endowed by nature as to have been 

 incapable of profiting by ordinary education when of school 

 age is about 350,000 in all. These facts are appalling, 

 especially when we call to mind the suffering of parents 

 when discovering that their child is feeble-minded or worse 

 and utterly different from the being so hopefully pictured 

 in advance. As to actual idiots, after visiting an institution 

 where numbers of these creatures are being dragged through 

 a useless and senseless existence, everyone must wish that 

 something more might be done to prevent all such as these 

 from entering the world. 



It is certain that the number of persons who are duly 

 certified as being feeble in mind has been increasing in 

 recent years. There is no doubt, moreover, that this 

 increase is largely due to more care having been taken in 

 searching them out. Nevertheless, it seems on the whole 

 probable that a real increase in their numbers is slowly 

 taking place. And this possibihty or probabihty makes it 

 all the more necessary to try to wipe away this stain on 

 our race. 



The question may here be asked. What was it which first 

 brought this trouble into the world ? The answer is simple 

 enough — We do not know. Many guesses have been made. 

 The drunkenness, disease, overwork, bad housing condi- 

 tions, etc., of parents have all been suggested as causes of 



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