INFANTILISM 473 



which account there is not necessarily present a status lymphaticus, al- 

 though it is not improbable that the damaging that produces the infantilism 

 also often leads to a status lymphaticus. Moreover, the anemia that is not 

 rarely found in infantilism can be regarded as a direct consequence of this 

 deleterious influence. 



The hair of the head is usually abundant, the hair on the trunk is usually 

 absent, but not always entirely absent. The hairiness of the pubis and the 

 perineum is usually, very' sparse or is absent. The same holds good for the 

 hak in the axillae. 



The internal organs are as a rule normal, so far as illnesses, occurring in 

 early years, have not led them to infantilism. The vascular system seems 

 in the most cases to show a slight grade of hypoplasia. Also the blood- 

 pressure often lies on' the lower borders of the normal. 



I am not aware as to the existence of investigations as to the respira- 

 tory metabolism. In the cases that I investigated the tolerance limits for 

 carbohydrates approximate the normal. Functional testing of the vegeta- 

 tive nervous system sometimes showed slight diminution of the excitability. 

 Not much importance can be attached to this. 



Characteristic for true infantilism is the retention of the childish features. 

 We find the childish logic, the childish instinct for imitating, a certain anx- 

 iety and non-independence. For example the case reported by me (Observa- 

 tion LVI), acted like a boy when at his visits he was scolded for not having 

 collected his urine. By the grown people of the clinic he was treated like 

 a child. Ziehen points out in this regard that in infantilism the individual- 

 izing association characteristic of children is retained. Also the psychical 

 inhibitory apparatus is only deficiently developed. Di Gas per o attaches 

 especial value to the retention of the childish ideas of value, and of the sug- 

 gestibility of children. A careful description of the psyche of infantilism is 

 furnished by G. Anton. "The mimicry, gesticulations, physiognomy, cor- 

 respond to childish age phases, as do the pitch and the modulation of the 

 voice. For the most part there is absent the childish gaiety and freedom, 

 often there comes to expression feelings of insufficiency, timidity, and peevish- 

 ness." For the most part the attention may be readily drawn, but is readily 

 deviable. Constant concentration is not to be attained. Complicated sense 

 impressions produce a feeling of unpleasantness. " Often therefore they have 

 acquired a routine in which complicated impressions and tasks are slipped 

 by; their selection tends to the primitive, the simple." I have attached 

 value to reproducing the description of Anton, because it is enough to show 

 that the psyche of persons with infantilism is essentially different from that 

 of eunuchoids. 



Forms. According to the intensity of the noxious agent that is to 

 blame for infantilism, do different forms of this condition occur, from tin- 

 quite excessive forms which in their corporeal and mental development 



