RURAL HEALTH MENTAL 203 



B. RURAL HEALTH MENTAL 

 FEEBLE-MINDEDNESS DEFINED l 



E. J. EMERICK 



FEEBLE-MINDEDNESS is due to an arrested or imperfect cere- 

 bral development. By most authorities, a person who is three 

 or more years retarded is considered feeble-minded ; for instance, 

 a child of twelve years, whose mental development is that of a 

 child of nine, would be feeble-minded. 



The feeble-minded have been divided into three classes: (1) 

 the idiot, (2) the imbecile, and (3) the moron. 



(1) The idiot has a mentality of less than three years. He 

 cannot protect himself from common dangers. 



(2) The imbecile has a mentality of from three to seven years. 

 He can protect himself from common dangers, but cannot be 

 made self-sustaining. 



(3) The moron has a mentality of from seven to twelve years. 

 He is ''capable of earning his living under favorable circum- 

 stances, but is incapable. ... (a) of competing on equal terms 

 with his normal fellows, or (b) of managing himself and his 

 affairs with ordinary prudence." 



No one needs to be told how to recognize the idiot or imbe- 

 cile. Their inability to care for themselves, their physical stig- 

 mata, and obvious mental limitations make them easily dis- 

 tinguished. For this reason, they do not constitute a serious 

 problem ; they are recognized for what they are, and disposed of 

 accordingly. 



The moron, on the other hand, may present no physical evi- 

 dence of deficiency ; may be able to perform quite difficult tasks ; 

 may read and write ; and may talk fluently, sometimes even with 

 a certain superficial cleverness. 



This is the class that makes for us our social problems. Here 

 are the individuals who are put down as dull, ignorant or shift- 

 less, or unwilling to exercise their judgment, common sense and 

 will-power. Their resemblance to the normal makes it difficult 



i Adapted from "The Problem of the Feeble-minded," Publication No 5, 

 March, 1915. Ohio Board of Administration, Columbus. 



