Report of facts narrating recoveries of the deaf and dumb in 1840, 1841, and 1848 / by A. Turnbull.

  • Alexander Turnbull
Date:
1849
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of facts narrating recoveries of the deaf and dumb in 1840, 1841, and 1848 / by A. Turnbull. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    the three Edinburgh children above-mentioned, “ The doubts which have been expressed (obviously without experimental grounds) of the permanence of your cures, must be in a great measure dissipated by the state of these individuals, six months after treatment.” Dr. Turnbull was in Glasgow at the beginning of the bypast year, and in public administered to various deaf and dumb persons. Happening to be acquainted with a gentleman who had taken an interest in what was then done, we wrote to him, making particular inquiry into the condition of two young persons whom we understood to have received decided and permanent benefit. These were deaf- mutes, named Jane Wilkie and Margaret Muir, the one being about eight years of age, the other about nineteen. Our friend answered (Dec. 2) as follows :—“ I called for both the girls to-day, and had the good luck to find Wilkie at home. Her mother states freely that she hears quite as well as the other children, and is at a school conducted by a female, who seems to be bringing her on very well, if I may judge from a specimen of her reading I witnessed to-day. Her articulation was very perfect, considering the short time that she has been at school. They have no occasion now to speak loud to her, as she seems to understand quite well what is said, even when her back is turned. * * I found Muir’s parents at home, but she herself was at her work in the cotton-mill. I put many questions to the parents, which they answered very satisfactorily. They stated that the surprising effects produced by Dr. Turnbull had not abated in the least degree, but, on the contrary, were rather increased. She hears whatever is said to her, though she may be in another room with the door shut.” It is a common allegation respecting Dr. Turnbull’s cures, that, on the most favourable construction, they are little more than momentary ; and we are bound to observe that we have heard of persons of impaired hearing relapsing after a time from the improved condition into which he had brought them. But what is to be said of Mr. Hope, who has continued well for six or seven months ; of the three children of the Edinburgh Day-school for the Deaf and Dumb, who have maintained recovered hearing for an equal time ; and of Jane Wilkie and Margaret Muir, who are better now than ever, after nearly a twelvemonth ? By these cases, not to speak of others of more recent date, the so-far permanence of the remedy seems to us fully established. As born deafness was never cured before, it may be worth while to give a few particulars with respect to the sensations of the patients on their first becoming possessed of the heretofore deficient sense. Miss Walker states, in a letter before us, that she at first experienced considerable annoyance from the noise of vehicles in
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