'115 I N S A 
. Though we have faM that infanity moll frequently at¬ 
tacks between the ages of 30 and 40, yet it will be feen 
that the number of infane between 20 and 30 is not much 
inferior; and it may perhaps be objected againft our rea- 
fpnirig, that, between the ages of 20 and 40, the greatell 
number of human beings of every kind muft be living, 
confequently the number of infane is not in greater pro¬ 
portion than to the general numbers of mankind. This 
objection we pretend not to anfwer. And there are fome 
cafes of infinity occurring in ages younger than thofe no¬ 
ticed in the Table; and which might almoft favour the 
idea we have before difcountenanced, that there is fome 
predifpofing ,.caufe, in the original formation, which 
el grows with the growth, and ftrengthens with the 
ftrength.” As thefe cafes of infantine madnefs are hap¬ 
pily but rare, we (hall transcribe three of them, which are 
Extremely curious, from Mr. Hallam. 
I. In March 1799, a female child, on)y three years and 
a quarter old, was brought to the hofpifal for medical ad¬ 
vice. She was in good bodily health, and born of fane 
and undifeafed parents. The mother, who attended, 
ilated that her hufband’s parents and her own had never 
been in the flighted: degree affliCled with mania, but that 
fhe had a brother who was born an ideot. She related 
that her child, until the age of two years and a half, was 
perfe£lly well, of ordinary vivacity, and of promiling ta¬ 
lents ; when fhe was inoculated for the fmall-pox. Se¬ 
vere eonvulfions ufliered in the difeafe, and a delirium 
continued during its courfe. The- eruption was of the 
inild kind, and the child was not marked. From the 
termination of the fmall-pox to the above date, (nine 
months,) the child continued in an infane ilate, Previ- 
oufly to the fmall-pox, fhe could articulate many words, 
and ufe them corredtly for the things they fignified ; but 
fince that time fhe completely forgot her former acquifi- 
tions, nor ever attempted to imitate a fignificant found. 
Whatever fire wifhed to perform, fhe effected with promp¬ 
titude and facility. She appeared anxious to poffefs every 
thing flie faw, and cried if fhe experienced any difap- 
pointment; and on thefe-occasions (lie would bite, or ex- 
prefs her anger by kicking or Ttriking. Her appetite was 
voracious, and (lie would devour any thing that was given 
to her, without difcrimination 5 as fat, raw animal food, 
or tainted meat. To rake out the fire with her fingers 
was. a favourite amufement, nor was flie deterred from 
having-frequently burned them. She palled her urine and 
fasces in any place without reftraint; but flie could re¬ 
tain a confiderable quantity of the former before fhe dif¬ 
eharged it. Some cathartic remedies were ordered for her, 
with an eriietic occafionally, and fhe was brought to the 
"hofpital every fortnight ; but fhe did not appear in any 
' degree amended. On June 22 flie was admitted a patient, 
and continued in the hofpital until the middle of Octo¬ 
ber, when fhe was attacked with an eruptive fever, and 
confequently difeharged. During this time little pro- 
grefs-was made, although confiderable pains were beftow- 
ed. She became more cunning, and her tafle appeared 
improved : the cathartic medicine which fhe drank at firft 
without reluctance, became afterwards highly difguiting ; 
and, when flie law the bafket which contained it, (lie en¬ 
deavoured to efcape and hide herfelf. To particular per- 
'fons fhe was friendly, and felt an averfion to others. She 
was fenfible of the authority of the nurfe who attended 
'her, and underftood.by the tone of her voice whether flie 
were pleafed or offended. The names of fome things fhe 
appeared to comprehend, although they were extremely 
few j when the words, dinner, cakes, orange, and fome 
more were mentioned, file fmiled, and appeared in expec¬ 
tation of receiving them. After the elaple of three years 
I was informed that the child had 'made no intellectual 
progrefs. 
2.1 W. H. a boy, nearly feven years of age, was admit¬ 
ted ‘into the hofpital, June 8, 1.799. His mother, who 
frequently vifited him, related the following particulars 
refpe&ing his cafe. She laid that, within a month of be- 
N I T Y. 
ing delivered of this child, fhe was frightened by a man 
in the flreet, who rudely put hi? hand on her belly. 
When the child was born, it was fubjeCt to ftartings, and 
became convulfed on any flight indifpofition. When a 
year old, he fuffered much with the meafles j and after¬ 
wards had a mild kind of inoculated f’njall-pox. At this 
age (he thought the child more lively thanufual, and that 
he flept lefs than her other children had done. At two 
years, the mother perceived he could not be controled, 
and therefore frequently corrected him. There was a 
tardinefs in the developement of his phyfical powers: he 
was fifteen months old before he had a tooth, and unable 
to go alone at two years and a half. His mind was equally 
flow'; he had arrived at liis fourth year before he began 
to fpeak; and*, when in his fifth, he had not made a 
greater proficiency in language than generally may be ob- 
lerved in children between two ancl three years old.. 
When admitted into the hofpital, he wept at being fe- 
parated from his mother, but. his grief ivas of very fhort 
continuance. He was placed on the female fide, and 
feemed highly delighted with the novelty of the feene j 
every objeft excited his curiofity, but he did not paufe or 
dwell on any. He was conftantly in aCtion, and rapidly 
examined the different apartments of the building. T® 
the patients in general he behaved with great infolence, 
he kicked and fpat at them, and diftorted his face in de- 
rifion 3 but, on the appearance of the nurfe, he immedi¬ 
ately defifted, and affured her he was a very good boy. 
Great but ineffectual pains were taken to make him un¬ 
derhand the nature of truth ; he could never be brought 
to confefs any milchief he had committed, but always 
took refuge in the convenient fhelter of a lie. In a fhort 
time he acquired a ftriking talent for mimicry, and imi¬ 
tated many of the patients in their infane manners; he 
generally (elected for his models thofe who were confined, 
as he could pra&ife from fuch with impunity. In about 
three months he had added confiderably to his flock of 
language ; but, unluckily, he had fele&ed'his expreflions 
from thofe patients who were addidted to fwearing and 
obfeene converfation. To teach him the letters of the 
alphabet had many times been endeavoured, but always 
without fuccefs j the attempt uniformly difgulled him ; 
he was not to be flimulated by coaxing or coercion ; his 
mind was too excurfive to fubmit to the painful toil of re¬ 
cording. elementary founds 5 but it may rather be inferred 
that he did not poffefs a fufficient power of attention to 
become acquainted with arbitrary characters. He was in 
good health, his pulfe and bowels were regular, and his 
appetite was keen, but not voracious. One circilmftance 
Itruck me as very peculiar in this boy: he appeared to 
have very incorreCt ideas of diftance : he would frequent¬ 
ly ftretch out his hand to grafpobje&s confiderably be¬ 
yond his reach, but this referred principally to height; 
he would endeavour to pluck out a nail from the ceiiing, 
or fnatch at the moon. In October he became unwell, 
and, at the mother’s requell, was difeharged from the hof¬ 
pital. 
In September 1805, I again faw the -boy ; he was then 
thirteen years of age, had grown very tall, and appeared 
to be in good health. He recolleCled me immediately, 
and- mentioned the words, “ School—Moorfields—nafty 
phyfic.” On meeting with fome of the female patients, 
he perfectly remembered them, and feemed, for the mo¬ 
ment, much pleafed at the renewal of the acquaintance. 
By this time he had made, comparatively, a great progrefs 
in language ; he knew the names of ordinary things, and 
was able to tell correCtly the llreet in which he re- 
fided, and the number of his houfe. His mother informed 
me that he was particularly fond of going to church, al¬ 
though he was unable to comprehend the purpofe for 
which he went; when there, he conducted himfelf with 
great order and decorum, hut was difpofed to remain af¬ 
ter the congregation had difpe^fed. To (how how little 
he underltood why he frequented a place of worfhip ; his 
mother once took him to church on Sacrament-Sunday, 
4- and. 
