DEGENERACY OF MIND IN JUAN. 11 



do, even into obvious danger; or by results as serious or 

 as dangerous as those which so frequently characterise the 

 imitative pranks of the monkey (Browne) . 



17. Defects or perversions of the special senses or of sen- 

 sation, especially of hearing, vision, smell and taste. Idiots 

 scarcely possess the sense or sensation of taste ; only some 

 of them can distinguish colours (Ireland). There is equal 

 non-appreciation of shape or/orw. 



18. They have no notion of the qualities of external 

 bodies (Browne). 



19. There is no sense or estimation of time or distance. 



20. Nor is there any idea of order. 



21. Their many physiological or pathological anomalies 

 include perversion of cutaneous sensibility. 



22. Defective muscular co-ordination , as applied, for 

 instance, to the use of the fingers or legs; imperfections, 

 therefore, in locomotive power or motility (Duncan), and use- 

 lessness or awkwardness with the fingers or hands. In some 

 there is utter incapability of using the hands (Ireland). 



23. Accompanying physical or bodily deformities, defects, 

 or disorders, including epilepsy and chorea, with goitre, con- 

 stituting cretinism. 



24. Use of the teeth for vicious biting. 



25. Filthy habits of person, inattention to cleanliness or 

 the calls of nature. 



26. Peculiarities as to food consumption. Some of them 

 ' eat and drink like beasts,' tearing raw flesh and lapping 

 water ; they bolt their food and gorge themselves as certain 

 carnivora do. 



27. Morbid appetite: eating of fseces, ordure or dung 

 technically known as coprophagy (Lombroso and Ireland). 



28. Preference for animal society : the acquisition of 

 animal language, sufficient to enable them to hold intercourse 

 with their animal companions. Dr. Browne, for instance, 

 mentions the fondness of Swiss cretins for cats, and cites 

 Kund, ' the cat's Eaphael,' as an apt illustration. 



So close and striking is the resemblance in general habits 

 between certain microcephalic or other human idiots and 

 some of the lower animals, that these idiots have been dis- 



