i i 8 Dr. Reeve’s Account of Cretinism. 
fluence of physical causes on the mind, as cretinism. It shows 
moreover, that the growth of every part is essentially con- 
nected with the conditions in which it is fit to exercise its 
peculiar functions ; and in this respect, it fares with the intel- 
lectual as with the bodily powers. 
The most decisive argument in proof of this opinion is, that 
cretinism may be prevented by removing children from the 
confined and dirty places where it prevails, and nursing and 
educating them in the higher parts of the mountains. Within 
these last ten years, the number of cretins has diminished, the 
condition of the lowest class of society is somewhat bettered, 
and more attention is paid towards that diseased constitution 
which is the forerunner of mental imbecillity. I did not find 
that the poor creatures took any pride in having any of their 
children idiots or bien heureux, as some authors assert ; on the 
contrary, the parents were very much ashamed of acknow- 
ledging that any cretins belonged to their families ; and it was 
after repeated attempts, only by declaring myself to be a phy- 
sician, that I could get access into their houses to examine any 
of these wretched beings in the human form. The burnt 
sponge is known as a remedy for the goitre among the people 
where it is most prevalent ; but it is seldom administered, be- 
cause the disease is so common, that it does not attract notice, 
nor affect in general the ordinary functions of life. And as to 
cretinism, that seems to be looked upon as belonging to indi- 
gence and poverty ; for in every place where I saw cretins, 
many well looking persons of both sexes resided, and these 
were, without exception, persons of a higher class in society, 
who lived in better houses, and could supply both their moral 
and physical necessities. 
