Laura Bridgman : the story of an opened door / by Laura E. Richards; prefatory note by William H. Burnham.

  • Laura E. Richards
Date:
1928
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Laura Bridgman : the story of an opened door / by Laura E. Richards; prefatory note by William H. Burnham. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    might do, giving it medicine, putting a hot-water bottle to its feet. When “Doctor” came in, she flew to him, insisting that he must see Dolly, feel her pulse, etc.; when he gravely prescribed a blister for the patient’s back, she almost screamed with delight. “Finger-talking” became a passion with the child; a passion that was to fade only with life itself. Her thirst for information was insatiable; she wanted to know everything. Being taken to the stable to see the horses, she asked, “Do horses sit up late?” On being told that horses do not sit up she laughed, and corrected herself. “Do horses stand up late?” She asks why cows have horns. “To keep bad cows off when they trouble them.” Do bad cows know to go away when good cow pushes them?” then after some moments of silent thought: “Why do cows have two horns ? to push two cows?” Pronouns were at first something of a stumbling- block to her. She would say, “Laura, bread, give,” or “Water, drink, Laura!” One need not be a blind deaf-mute to experience this difficulty. It was a wholly normal child who said to me once, “Mamma! when Dockor Blank baby drink Dockor Blank baby milk [pause, and reflection] Dockor Blank baby ’tick Dockor Blank baby tongue out!” And her sister, desiring that the black kitten should receive a second saucer of milk, could only say, “Give it another kitty black milk!”