The term feeble-minded was used from the late 19th century in Europe, the United States and Australasia for disorders later referred to as illnesses or deficiencies of the mind.
At the time, mental deficiency encompassed all degrees of educational and social deficiency. Within the concept of mental deficiency, researchers established a hierarchy, ranging from idiocy, at the most severe end of the scale; to imbecility, at the median point; and to feeble-mindedness at the highest end of functioning. The last was conceived of as a form of high-grade mental deficiency.[1]
The development of the ranking system of mental deficiency has been attributed to Sir Charles Trevelyan in 1876, and was associated with the rise of eugenics.[2] The term and hierarchy had been used in that sense at least 10 years previously.[3]
The earliest recorded use of the term in the English language dates from 1534, when it appears in one of the first English translations of the New Testament, the Tyndale Bible. A biblical commandment to "Comforte the feble mynded" is included in 1 Thessalonians.[4]
The British government's Royal Commission on the Care and Control of the Feeble-Minded (1904–1908), in its Report in 1908 defined the feeble-minded as:
[P]ersons who may be capable of earning a living under favourable circumstances, but are incapable from mental defect, existing from birth or from an early age: (1) of competing on equal terms with their normal fellows, or (2) of managing themselves and their affairs with ordinary prudence.[3]
Despite being pejorative, in its day the term was considered, along with idiot, imbecile, and moron, to be a relatively precise psychiatric classification.
In the first half of the 20th century, a diagnosis of "feeble-mindedness, in any of its grades" was a common criterion for many states in the United States, which embraced eugenics as a progressive measure, to mandate the compulsory sterilization of such patients. In the 1927 US Supreme Court case Buck v. Bell, Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes closed the 8–1 majority opinion upholding the sterilization of Carrie Buck, with the phrase, "Three generations of imbeciles are enough."[6] Buck, her mother and daughter were all classified as feeble-minded.
Representation in other mediaedit
Jack London published a short story, "Told in the Drooling Ward" (1914), which describes inmates at a California institution for the "feeble-minded". He narrates the story from the point of view of a self-styled "high-grade feeb". The California Home for the Care and Training of Feeble-minded Children, later the Sonoma Developmental Center, was located near the Jack London Ranch in Glen Ellen, California.
^Jackson, Mark (1 December 1998). "'It begins with the goos and ends with the goose': medical, legal, and lay understandings of imbecility in Ingram v Wyatt, 1824–1832". Social History of Medicine. 11 (3): 364. doi:10.1093/shm/11.3.361. PMID 11623581.
^Thomson, Mathew (1998). The Problem of Mental Deficiency : Eugenics, Democracy and Social Policy in Britain, c. 1870–1959 (Repr. ed.). Oxford: Clarendon. p. 14. ISBN0-19-820692-5.
^ abBartley, Paula (2000). Prostitution prevention and reform in England, 1860–1914. London: Routledge. p. 121. ISBN0-203-45303-4.
^Bible (1534). William Tyndale (trans.); George Joye (revised). Thessalonians. Quoted in: "feeble, adj. and n.". OED Online. November 2010. Oxford University Press. 16 March 2011 <http://www.oed.com/viewdictionaryentry/Entry/68950>.
^The Times, 8 November 1834; "A precious exposure of the dignity and integrity of Statesmen is about to be made this day by Mr. EVANS"
^"Buck v. Bell 274 U.S. 200 (1927)". Justia Law. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
External linksedit
Look up feeble-minded in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
feeble, minded, term, feeble, minded, used, from, late, 19th, century, europe, united, states, australasia, disorders, later, referred, illnesses, deficiencies, mind, time, mental, deficiency, encompassed, degrees, educational, social, deficiency, within, conc. The term feeble minded was used from the late 19th century in Europe the United States and Australasia for disorders later referred to as illnesses or deficiencies of the mind At the time mental deficiency encompassed all degrees of educational and social deficiency Within the concept of mental deficiency researchers established a hierarchy ranging from idiocy at the most severe end of the scale to imbecility at the median point and to feeble mindedness at the highest end of functioning The last was conceived of as a form of high grade mental deficiency 1 The development of the ranking system of mental deficiency has been attributed to Sir Charles Trevelyan in 1876 and was associated with the rise of eugenics 2 The term and hierarchy had been used in that sense at least 10 years previously 3 Contents 1 History 2 Definition 3 Representation in other media 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksHistory editThe earliest recorded use of the term in the English language dates from 1534 when it appears in one of the first English translations of the New Testament the Tyndale Bible A biblical commandment to Comforte the feble mynded is included in 1 Thessalonians 4 A London Times editorial of November 1834 describes the long serving former Prime Minister Lord Liverpool as a feeble minded pedant of office 5 Definition editThe British government s Royal Commission on the Care and Control of the Feeble Minded 1904 1908 in its Report in 1908 defined the feeble minded as P ersons who may be capable of earning a living under favourable circumstances but are incapable from mental defect existing from birth or from an early age 1 of competing on equal terms with their normal fellows or 2 of managing themselves and their affairs with ordinary prudence 3 Despite being pejorative in its day the term was considered along with idiot imbecile and moron to be a relatively precise psychiatric classification The American psychologist Henry H Goddard who coined the term moron was the director of the Vineland Training School originally the Vineland Training School for Backward and Feeble minded Children at Vineland New Jersey Goddard was known for strongly postulating that feeble mindedness was a hereditary trait most likely caused by a single recessive gene Goddard rang the eugenic alarm bells in his 1912 work The Kallikak Family A Study in the Heredity of Feeble Mindedness about those in the population who carried the recessive trait despite outward appearances of normality citation needed In the first half of the 20th century a diagnosis of feeble mindedness in any of its grades was a common criterion for many states in the United States which embraced eugenics as a progressive measure to mandate the compulsory sterilization of such patients In the 1927 US Supreme Court case Buck v Bell Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes closed the 8 1 majority opinion upholding the sterilization of Carrie Buck with the phrase Three generations of imbeciles are enough 6 Buck her mother and daughter were all classified as feeble minded Representation in other media editJack London published a short story Told in the Drooling Ward 1914 which describes inmates at a California institution for the feeble minded He narrates the story from the point of view of a self styled high grade feeb The California Home for the Care and Training of Feeble minded Children later the Sonoma Developmental Center was located near the Jack London Ranch in Glen Ellen California See also editInsanity Developmental disorderReferences edit Jackson Mark 1 December 1998 It begins with the goos and ends with the goose medical legal and lay understandings of imbecility in Ingram v Wyatt 1824 1832 Social History of Medicine 11 3 364 doi 10 1093 shm 11 3 361 PMID 11623581 Thomson Mathew 1998 The Problem of Mental Deficiency Eugenics Democracy and Social Policy in Britain c 1870 1959 Repr ed Oxford Clarendon p 14 ISBN 0 19 820692 5 a b Bartley Paula 2000 Prostitution prevention and reform in England 1860 1914 London Routledge p 121 ISBN 0 203 45303 4 Bible 1534 William Tyndale trans George Joye revised Thessalonians Quoted in feeble adj and n OED Online November 2010 Oxford University Press 16 March 2011 lt http www oed com viewdictionaryentry Entry 68950 gt The Times 8 November 1834 A precious exposure of the dignity and integrity of Statesmen is about to be made this day by Mr EVANS Buck v Bell 274 U S 200 1927 Justia Law Retrieved 4 April 2017 External links edit nbsp Look up feeble minded in Wiktionary the free dictionary Jack London The Turtles of Tasman at Project Gutenberg contains the story Told in the Drooling Ward Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Feeble minded amp oldid 1212157283, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
