It is our purpose here to impress on osteopaths the almost unlimited
possibilities in the study and treatment of mental conditions of
children, which heretofore have been considered hopeless. Osteopathy
has demonstrated that it has much to offer to this class of
defectives but the profession has not thoroughly appreciated its
great possibilities. It has been the custom to send these children
to institutions where they have received care with some attempt
toward education but with absolutely no effort being made through
physical treatment to overcome their debility. We shall show that the
osteopathic lesion is of prime importance in these cases, and that we
have been slow to realize the efficacy of osteopathic treatment for
such seemingly hopeless children. We cannot emphasize too strongly the
importance of accepting and treating these cases wherever possible.
The mental diseases are considered under two general heads: (1)
Inherited, and (2) Acquired Tendencies.
=1. Inherited Tendencies.=—In this class are those cases arising from
poor endowment of the protoplasmic structure through lowered vitality
of the parents or other progenitors. These taints may come from either
parent, or both, and may exist in the offspring from some preceding
generation. Such diseases are constitutional and are amenable to
supporting treatment in direct proportion to the amount of endowed
energy inherent in any given organism.
Of the inherited tendencies, we have two kinds:
=1. Congenital Diseases.= (a) From any influence of an inherited nature
not directly acting on the environment of the parent while the fetus is
in utero, and
(b) From any influence which directly affects the development of the
ovum through imperfect fertilization coming through either parent or
both.
=2. General Impairment.=—This condition exists (a) Where a similar
defect has existed in foregoing generations and is strictly hereditary;
(b) Where general vitality is diminished from such causes as
neuropathic parents, or where there have existed constitutional
defects, such as tuberculosis, syphilis, epilepsy, alcoholism, abuse,
overwork, strain, acute inflammatory diseases, and poor health of the
mother during gestation; also consanguinity.
(c) Premature birth tends to impairment physically and mentally
of growth of organism and frequently leaves its manifestations of
marasmus, rachitis and other nutritional disturbances.
(d) Prolonged labor may leave its mark on the child where more or less
asphyxia has occurred resulting in obstruction to cerebral circulation.
Causes acting after birth to the already impaired germ cell and
resulting in many of the afflictions of early life, both mentally and
physically, are
1. Traumatism.
2. Convulsions.
3. Rachitis.
4. Infectious fevers.
5. Meningitis.
All of these seriously affect the metabolism within the newly-born, a
process which is begun, doubtless with difficulty, and susceptible to
easy derangement, and the same effect magnified with growth into its
subsequent mental and physical deformity.
=2. The Acquired Tendency.=—In this the second great class are those
conditions arising subsequent to conception where germ plasm is healthy
but growth is arrested by some external factor either intra- or
extra-uterine. Thus the acquired tendency may be given to the fetus in
utero and not be considered congenital as in case of injury affecting
health and growth of otherwise healthy conception. In short, the
acquired has its beginning at conception or subsequent to it while the
congenital is previous to conception or already inherent in the germ
plasm leading to conception.