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Medical
| Profile | Posted by | Options | Post Date |
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Susan | Report | 7 Aug 2009 17:11 |
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I have an ancestor who is recorded as being "idiot from birth" in the a couple of censuses. He lived till he was 30 but seemed to have an occupation as an AG LAB for at least 2 censuses so obviously was capable of some sort of work. What would the term "idiot from birth" actually cover? Could he have been a Down's? Is there anywhere I could find out about what these census terms mean? |
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Kate | Report | 7 Aug 2009 17:17 |
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Might be worth a look at this thread, Susan. Somebody found the definitions and posted them here. It's possible he could have had Down's syndrome - I think somebody defined as an "idiot" was capable of different things to an "imbecile", for instance. |
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BarneyKent | Report | 7 Aug 2009 20:01 |
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Not only in census but also in other documents from the 1800s. I have a school register dated 1882. Against one girl's name is " deaf and imbecile" and against a boy's entry is "idiot". |
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