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Archiver > LONDON > 2008-07 > 1216125157


From: Charani <>
Subject: Re: [LON] A Little Insane
Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2008 13:32:37 +0100
References: <mailman.567.1215933829.9913.london@rootsweb.com><00f701c8e4f3$cbb82d10$0302a8c0@acer511eba12df>
In-Reply-To: <00f701c8e4f3$cbb82d10$0302a8c0@acer511eba12df>


Jane Kelly wrote:

> It sounds curious doesn't it. I would guess it means he had a disorder
> such as epilepsy or cerebral palsy so either had convulsions or had
> jerky movements and couldn't speak properly. I know in the 19th century
> neural disabilities were clearly defined but whether this extended to
> insanity, I do not know..

Several people have suggested epilepsy as a possible reason and most
times epilepsy is a life long condition but it is something that can
be "grown out of" (my dau did). So it could well be that.

Mild cerebral palsy is also a possibility, esp as one of the "side
effects" of CP is epilepsy, both of which my son has.

> Perhaps he had what today we would call
> Attention defecit hyperactive disorder (AD/HD) and appeared a little crazy.

Someone else suggested ADHD but I don't think it would have been that.
A child with ADHD would grow to be an adult with ADHD. Although he
may have had severe temper tantrums, symptom of both ADHD and ASD, the
latter also being a suggestion.

> Conversely, I had a gt grand aunt described as "idiot blind" on the 1871
> census. although she was a scholar in previous census records. She died
> in 1879. aged 36 just after her mother died..

That suggests an accident of some sort possibly as a result of her
blindness.

> I hope you solve your family mystery,

I don't know that I'll ever be able to do that conclusively but I may
be able to get a fairly good idea :))

Many thanks for your input. Tis much appreciated.

--
Charani (UK)
OPC for Walton, SOM
http://wsom-opc.org.uk

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