CARMARTHENSHIRE-FHS-L Archives

Archiver > CARMARTHENSHIRE-FHS > 2005-06 > 1118014583


From: "Davies, Elwyn" <>
Subject: RE: [CmnFHS] CMN-FSH/census description
Date: Mon, 6 Jun 2005 09:37:01 +1000


Norma

The terms used now are learning disabilities or mental subnormalities and are based on IQ testing

These replaced the terms such as "Idiot" and "Cretin" etc

You may find some more information by looking at WHO classification wesite. The terms are however archaic and are avoided in modern language related to this area because of their negative connotations

Hope this helps

Elwyn
Melbourne

-----Original Message-----
From: Norma Whitaker [mailto:]
Sent: Monday, 06 June, 2005 4:04 AM
To:
Subject: [CmnFHS] CMN-FSH/census description


Hi Everybody,

I have found my Welsh ancestors on the 1870 USA census, with a
previously-unknown child, listed as "idiotic." I'm sure that term
covered
a myriad of conditions in the 19th century. I imagine that discovering
his particular situation would be impossible, but would like to find out
more about what the term encompassed.

I'm assuming something like what we call cerebral palsy, Down's
syndrome,
maybe even profound deafness. Does anybody know of a website or
other resource that might explain?

Whatever it was, society must have promoted some level of shame for
anyone with the condition. This child was a brother of my
great-grandmother,
who never told her own children a word about his existence.

Thanks!

Norma


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