Of the 575 cases, 420 were those of idiocy from birth, and 155 of idiocy
afterwards. Of the born idiots, 187 were under twenty-five years of age,
and all but 13 seemed capable of improvement. Of those above twenty-five
years of age, 73 appeared incapable of improvement in their mental
condition, being helpless as children at seven years of age; 43 out of
the 420 seemed as helpless as children at two years of age; 33 were in
the condition of mere infants; and 220 were supported at the public
charge in almshouses. A large proportion of them were found to be given
over to filthy and loathsome habits, gluttony, and lust, and constantly
sinking lower towards the condition of absolute brutishness.

Those in private houses were found, if possible, in a still more
deplorable state. Their parents were generally poor, feeble in mind and
body, and often of very intemperate habits. Many of them seemed scarcely
able to take care of themselves, and totally unfit for the training of
ordinary children. It was the blind leading the blind, imbecility
teaching imbecility. Some instances of the experiments of parental
ignorance upon idiotic offspring, which fell under the observation of Dr.
Howe, are related in his report Idiotic children were found with their
heads covered over with cold poultices of oak-bark, which the foolish
parents supposed would tan the brain and harden it as the tanner does his
ox-hides, and so make it capable of retaining impressions and remembering
lessons. In other cases, finding that the child could not be made to
comprehend anything, the sagacious heads of the household, on the
supposition that its brain was too hard, tortured it with hot poultices
of bread and milk to soften it. Others plastered over their children's
heads with tar. Some administered strong doses of mercury, to "solder up
the openings" in the head and make it tight and strong. Others
encouraged the savage gluttony of their children, stimulating their