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AN EXTREME CASE OE MICEOCEPHALY. 
By E. a. Drit-Drtjry, M.D., B.S., D.P.H. 
(With Plates IX and X.) 
There is a skull preserved in the Port Alfred Mental Hospital, which 
excites the cupidity of all instructed beholders. 
It belonged to a Basuto woman, who died in the institution from tuber- 
culosis at the age of 32. 
She was in all other respects well formed physically, of the size of a 
child of 12, and weighed 60 lbs. 
M. J. is described as restless, full of twitching movements, turning her 
head and eyes rapidly, dirty in her habits, but able to feed herself. 
In temper she was impulsive, "biting, kicking, and scratching." "When 
frightened, or annoyed by the other patient, she flies to an officer, clinging to 
his legs, and crouching down. Behind this protecting shelter she grimaces 
and makes noises at her enemy, as if in defiance of anything he can do." 
After two years of institutional life she learned to do some work in the 
laundry, and became cleanly, " exhibiting a wonderful amount of intelligence 
for the apparent size of her brain." 
Two years later she is described as " very fond of music and dances 
when she hears it." 
" During life she was able to make use of a limited number of words 
and was very affectionate to those who treated her kindly." 
The earliest words were Basuto and incoherent, the later are said to have 
been *' mostly swear words," and therefore presumably English. Unfor- 
tunately no record of her actual words exists. 
After another two years she died. 
The above description is drawn from the case books at G-rahamstown 
and Port Alfred, and particularly from notes by Dr. W. Gr. Atherstone. 
Her appearance at a medical meeting in 1904 was certainly ape-like, as all 
observers agreed. 
Through the courtesy of the Medical Superintendent, Dr. Walter 
Atherstone, I was enabled to make an examination of the skull. 
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