| Description Of Item | Illustration from the collection of Alexander Morison. Plate 80 of Morison’s 'The Physiognomy of Mental Diseases' (1840). Unsigned [François Rochard].
'Portrait of E. H.; aged 18.
The head of this idiot is very small and depressed in the frontal portion; she is of short stature, but not deformed. Her countenance expresses vacancy, generally inclined to a silly laugh; she can feed herself, but does not attend to the calls of nature, and cannot dress and undress herself.
She frequently repeats in an eager manner — um um, and has been taught to repeat, like a parrot, the words — good day, good night; when a watch was presented to her she put it into her mouth. She is fond of sweet- meats and of cakes, a piece of which she has in her hand; she appears pleased with a piece of finery, such as a new gown or cap.' |