66 Environment and Efficiency 



with regard to the mentally defective is that these are neces- 

 sarily exceptions to my argument that good results should 

 follow upon a good environment ; in such cases one pre- 

 supposes failure. 



If, however, we rule out the two feeble-minded cases in 

 lona, as foredoomed to failure, there is left one normal youth, 

 upon whose unsatisfactory behaviour the whole of Mr. Mudge s 

 overwhelming conclusions are based. And even to a novice in 

 the ranks of investigators such reasoning appears absurd. 



CONCLUSIONS 



Of the 295 records investigated, I have quoted 80 in this 

 section, and I have purposely given a large number of doubtful 

 and unsatisfactory cases because I have wished to show in 

 what circumstances and under what conditions such cases are 

 likely to occur. 



On reviewing the manner in which I have dealt with the 

 different Case Books at my disposal, there are many alterations 

 and additions which, in the light of increasing experience, I 

 should like to have made. With a longer period for my 

 inquiry, I should wish to have quoted a far larger number 

 of cases. Also I am conscious that these records are, many of 

 them, inadequate, that my standard is possibly too low, and so 

 forth. 



On these and other grounds the following figures (see next 

 page) are open to criticism. But, as I have said before, 

 efficiency is a purely relative term ; and my chief object in 

 collecting these records has been to point out the contrast 

 between the child's previous history, with all that it entails, 

 and its later record as influenced by environment. 



