As you have not seen the paper I
sent to the British Association, I will just say that I should not have
noticed the subject publicly but, after a friend had given me the
photographs (sent with my paper), I came across the following statement
in the new edition of Chambers' Encyclopaedia, art. Deformities (by Prof.
A. Hare): "In an increasing proportion of cases which are carefully
investigated, it appears that maternal impressions, the result of shock
or unpleasant experiences, may have a considerable influence in
producing deformities in the offspring." In consequence of this I sent
the case which had been furnished me, and which is certainly about as
well attested and conclusive as anything can be. The facts are these:
A gamekeeper had his right forearm amputated at the North Devon
Infirmary. He left before it was healed, thinking his wife could dress
it, but as she was too nervous, a neighbour, a young recently married
woman, a farmer's wife, still living, came and dressed it every day till
it healed. About six months after she had a child born _without right
hand and forearm_, the stump exactly corresponding in length to that of
the gamekeeper. Dr. Richard Budd, M.D., F.R.C.P.,[23] of Barnstaple, the
physician to the infirmary, when the boy was five or six years old,
himself took a photograph of the boy and the gamekeeper side by side,
showing the wonderful correspondence of the two arms.
Pages:
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81