Vol. 60, 1909 - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

XXXIV THE CHARLOTTE MEDICAL JOURNAL.
represents the greatest improvement of this powers, and in many cases it is by no
approved style of container. means easy lo give a definite opinion.
The jury, in awarding the grand prizes Briefly, he defines mental deficiency as
on the tulDerculins of graduated potency, meaning a permanent want of sense. There
bacterins (bacterial vaccines) and vac- are three degrees: (a) Idiocy, or very great
cines, recognized the H. C. Mul ford Com- mental deficiency; (b) Imbecility, or conpany
as the leading house engaged in the siderable and marked mental deficiency;
manufacture of these products. (c) Feeble-mindedness, or lesser, but nev-
The jury also recognized the importance ertheless definite and permanent mental deof
bacterins and of tuberculins of graduated ficiency.
potency as therapeutic agents by grouping The well defined types most frequently
them with vaccines employed for the pre- met are: (1) Microcephalic, (2) Mongovention
of smallpox. Antitoxins, bacte- lian (3) Cretinoid, (-1) Epileptic, (".SJHyrins
and vaccines are three epoch-making drocephalic, (6) Cerebral Diplegic.
products, representing the highest scientific Besides, there are many cases which do
advancement for the prevention and treat- not conform to any well defined type,
ment of disease. though there is no doubt about their men-
The method for graduating the dosage of tal deficiency. Such cases form a large
tuberculin by serial dilutions has made tu- proportion of the mental defectives seen at
berculin therapy comparatively safe in the a large children's hospital and at schools
hands of the general practitioner. When for such children.
it is considered that the initial dose of this Lapage says the following points should
potent agent is 1-10,000 of a milligram—a be noted when examining a child for menportion
almost inconceivably small— and tal deficiency: U) The family history, (2)
that the increase in doses must be graded the health of the mother during pregnancy,
so carefully that it requires from six months (3) the personal history of the child, into
a year before the dose of one milligram eluding troubles at birth, ( 4) the presence
can be given, the advantage is apparent of or absence of physical stigmata, (,5) the
having a graded system of dosage so ar- height and width, (6) the speech, (7) the
ranged that each dose can be accurately sight, (S) the hearing, ( 9) the ability to
determined by increasing by two drops the sit up, to walk and to control the spincters,
dose of the serial dilution. and the age at which these powers develop-
Every dose of Mulford's Antitoxin and ed, (10 ) tlie age at which the child began
Curative Sera is furnished in the Mulford to walk, ( 1 1 ) the memory, attention, will.
Perfected Syringe, which possesses the fol- and temperament, (12) the standard in
lowing advantages: which the child is, the power of reading.
It is thoroughly aseptic, rendering con- writing, ciphering, and of performing mantamination
impossible. ual tasks.
The metal plunger screws into the rubber In conclusion the writer says that the
plug, adjusting pressure and making action diagnosis of the slighter forms of mental
positive. deficiency, i. e., of less degree than imbe-
The metal finger-rest with rubber guard cility, or idiocy, is not as a rule made dual
top of syringe prevents any possibility ring the earlier years of life, i-nless the
of the syringe breaking or injuring the op- child conforms to one or the other of the
erator's hand. well recognized types. Inability to sit up,
The needle is attached with flexible rub- lateness in learning to walk and talk may
ber, permitting motion of patient without excite the alarm of the parents. As the
danger of tearing the skin. child gets older, the diagnosis becomes in-
The special adjustable rubber has great creasingly easy. Still, up to the age of r,.
advantage over other packing, as it does 6 and 7 years, there are quite a number of
not shred, absorb serum, or become pulpy, cases in which the diagnosis is difficult.
This syringe is simple and accurate, hav- The points that help are the development
ing no parts to get out of order. of the power of walking and of talking,
.JY- "o^'r,- Mulford Company publish Working Bulletnis on Biological Products.
Copies will be mailed upon repuest to the
Philadelphia office.
the amount of control wer the sphincter,
, ^, , ^ , ., . , ,
and the general mental capacity, as judged
from the actions, the speech and language,
_. „, . "r~i7 *
... . . «. the expression, the power of memorv, at-
The Diagnosis of Permanent Mental Dellciency
In Infancy and tention,
Childhood.
imitation, and will, the presence
y nil J of perverted instincts and habits, such as
Lapage says the medical man and nowadays
especially the school medical
""usual wautonnesn and violence, or an in-
officer,
has frequently to decide whether an infant
or a child has possession of its full mental
satiable appetite, as the eating of clay or
dirt.—The London Practitioner.