CAN IMPACTED TEETH CAUSE MORAL
DELINQUENCY? By Arthur Holmes, Ph.D. University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.
ance
A teacher in a crowded school by one boy in particular. It
room was was not
fretted
beyond
because of his
endur-
lessons;
he stood well in his class, in fact at the head. There was plenty of evidence that he did not come from a poor home. His clothing
good, his hands were clean, he wore a necktie and collar; there was a general air of good breeding about him. It was neither dulness nor home training that made Harry the most troublesome boy to handle in that school. He could never sit still; he was always turning around, moving about and talking to the other
was
until finally he so wore upon the nerves of his teacher that she was compelled to send him home with a note of suspension. Then the father took him in hand, but parental authority,
scholars,
Conduct at home and school grew steadily worse and along with elements of mischievousness came actual criminal tendencies. Truth telling became a lost art; be lied and without apparent reason; things about the
discipline,
and
persuasion
all failed.
continually house disappeared; his father's watch was purloined and sold for five cents; small articles at school were not safe if left within his reach. The climax was attained when this acquisitive faculty took the form of financial
ing
sums
appropriation, which ended neighbors, amounting at
of money from the
five dollars.
in his stealone
time to
Having got completely beyond the control of both school and family discipline, the boy was handed over to the Juvenile Court and put
This treatment, however, did not bring the desired results. Frequent incarcerations at the House of Detention for the purpose of frightening Harry failed to affect him in the least. Next, a special school was tried, but that had on
probation.
Finally, in October of 1909, as a last resort, brought Psychological Clinic for examination. There abnormal was found in his physical condition. Nothing were no nor any hint of mental or of special stigmata degeneration
no
permanent effect.
he
was
moral
to
imbecility.
the
At the Nose and Throat Clinic
(19)
a
small adenoid
THE PSYCHOLOGICAL CLINIC.
20
was found and an operation advised. informed of this fact and arrangements for
growth
For
His parents
were
operation
were
an
couple of months Harry disappeared from the promised. of the view Psychological Clinic and it was thought that he had returned to the well trodden paths of school and home proprieties. a
However, about the first of December, he turned up again in the company of his father and a probation officer. His conduct instead of improving had been growing steadily worse; his nervousness at
school had reached
a
point where
he not
only
wouldn't
still, he even climbed upon his desk, wished to answer all questions, was noisy and troublesome, utterly fearless and careless of
sit
At home his
consequences.
disobedience, irritability of domestic turmoil.
and stubborn-
When
permitted night, only upon his promise to return by a specified hour, he seemed utterly to forget supper, bedtime, or parental discipline and returned at his own pleasure or was found and brought home by his father. His other bad habits had also frequent
ness were
to go out
on
causes
the street at
increased rather than decreased.
Outwardly
there
was
no
apparent change
in his
condition,
careful examination of his mouth revealed the chief factor in his trouble. A number of his first teeth had not yet been shed and the second teeth were slowly forcing their way out alongside
but
a
His gums, now very much swollen and red, were of constant and almost unbearable irritation. He was immediately taken to the Dental Clinic where Dr. Edward C. Kirk was struck with the interesting condition of the boy and suggested of the old the
ones.
source
that the whole difficulty might primarily be due to In his report he says:?
impacted denti-
tion.
"On the lower right side, the space between the first permanent molar and first premolar has been partially closed by the pushing forward of the first permanent molar. This condition has
partial impaction of the second premolar which is, as yet, unerupted and which may be a source of peripheral irritation. On the whole, the case is, from my point of view, a typical one of
led
to a
what I called dentitional stress; that is to say, of nervous irritation leading to a choreic tendency resulting from the general nervous irritation which frequently arises during the period of exchange of the permanent for the deciduous set of teeth. "I is
fully
am
in
of the
place
that
nervous
consider it the part of other sources of nervous
the
secondary dentition phenomena disappear. I should wisdom to relieve the young boy of all stress until that stage of dentition already
opinion
his
as
soon as
will
CAN TEETH CAUSE MORAL
referred
to has
employments
been reached.
and
It is
DELINQUENCY?
a case
general improvement
for fresh of
rather than for medical treatment."
21
air, out-of-door
hygienic conditions
In spite of Harry's rebellion and loudly expressed fear, he immediately relieved of one outgrown canine tooth. The effect was almost instantaneous. His whole nervous system seemed
was
to express itself in one
Dental Clinic,
worker,
he
sigh
began
an
of relief.
On the way back from the
animated conversation with the social
unburdened his mind
many points and initiated conwhich have grown ever since. From that time his improvement has been marked and continuous. His teeth were removed gradually as it was found expedient. Closely associated 011
fidences
with this dental condition, and
possibly aggravated by it, was an Eye Clinic. In order to insure proper treatment, Harry was placed in charge of the social worker of the Psychological Clinic who saw that the drops were regularly put in his eyes, accompanied him to the eye specialist, and not only secured glasses for him but accomplished the hitherto impossible feat of making him wear them. eye weakness discovered at the
On
he
account of the dental work and the
was not sent
Clinic
a
private
intelligent demeanor
and
back to school
public was
school.
Through the Psychological boy could receive the
found where the
sympathetic training
under the
refraction of his eyes,
private instruction put upon his honor
he
needed.
His
has been that of
a
whole normal
and trusted in numberless boj. He has been ways and in every ca'se he has justified the expectations of his teacher. He is now a healthy boy, with a boy's natural curiosity, with good manners, good temper, with no more than the average
nervousness, and with every prospect of taking his proper place in society and developing into an efficient and moral citizen. The case described is typical of the work done in the Psychological Clinic. The home, public school, special school, and Juvenile Court with its system of probation, each working indepenhad The Psychological Clinic, performing the failed. dently, function of clearing house in relation to its allied agencies, was able
ameliorate the condition. In this case the Clinic came in contact with the home through a skilled social worker, who gave advice to the parents and information concerning various kinds of to
schools. It touched the public schools and special schools through the teacher and principal who first had trouble with this boy and were compelled at times to suspend him. To them it furnished information concerning the cause of the boy's bad conduct which
THE PSYCHOLOGICAL CLINIC.
22
may prove helpful in future cases. The Juvenile Court, through its probation officer, turned to the Clinic for information concerning the mental condition of this boy with special reference to his
responsibility, for in such a case of delinquency the first question of importance is whether the child is a moral imbecile and should be placed in some institution for life, or whether he is merely bad and in need of certain disciplinary and reformatory The various medical departments through their clinics, measures. and the Dental Department gave their contributions toward the solution of the problem; but, without some one to see that the boy visited these clinics, their effects would not have reached him. Finally, when the physical defects had been removed, the Psychological Clinic was brought in direct communication with a number of private schools and institutions. Cases of this kind illustrate the peculiar function of the Psychological Clinic and demonstrate the necessity for its existence. moral
No other institution for the welfare of children can take so comprehensive and intelligent an interest in each individual boy or
girl the
and at the case.
lating
same
bring
so
many agencies to bear upon its chief function is in corre-
Sociologically considered, agencies for ameliorating
these various
children.
time
the condition of
DELINQUENCY? By Arthur Holmes, Ph.D. University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.
ance
A teacher in a crowded school by one boy in particular. It
room was was not
fretted
beyond
because of his
endur-
lessons;
he stood well in his class, in fact at the head. There was plenty of evidence that he did not come from a poor home. His clothing
good, his hands were clean, he wore a necktie and collar; there was a general air of good breeding about him. It was neither dulness nor home training that made Harry the most troublesome boy to handle in that school. He could never sit still; he was always turning around, moving about and talking to the other
was
until finally he so wore upon the nerves of his teacher that she was compelled to send him home with a note of suspension. Then the father took him in hand, but parental authority,
scholars,
Conduct at home and school grew steadily worse and along with elements of mischievousness came actual criminal tendencies. Truth telling became a lost art; be lied and without apparent reason; things about the
discipline,
and
persuasion
all failed.
continually house disappeared; his father's watch was purloined and sold for five cents; small articles at school were not safe if left within his reach. The climax was attained when this acquisitive faculty took the form of financial
ing
sums
appropriation, which ended neighbors, amounting at
of money from the
five dollars.
in his stealone
time to
Having got completely beyond the control of both school and family discipline, the boy was handed over to the Juvenile Court and put
This treatment, however, did not bring the desired results. Frequent incarcerations at the House of Detention for the purpose of frightening Harry failed to affect him in the least. Next, a special school was tried, but that had on
probation.
Finally, in October of 1909, as a last resort, brought Psychological Clinic for examination. There abnormal was found in his physical condition. Nothing were no nor any hint of mental or of special stigmata degeneration
no
permanent effect.
he
was
moral
to
imbecility.
the
At the Nose and Throat Clinic
(19)
a
small adenoid
THE PSYCHOLOGICAL CLINIC.
20
was found and an operation advised. informed of this fact and arrangements for
growth
For
His parents
were
operation
were
an
couple of months Harry disappeared from the promised. of the view Psychological Clinic and it was thought that he had returned to the well trodden paths of school and home proprieties. a
However, about the first of December, he turned up again in the company of his father and a probation officer. His conduct instead of improving had been growing steadily worse; his nervousness at
school had reached
a
point where
he not
only
wouldn't
still, he even climbed upon his desk, wished to answer all questions, was noisy and troublesome, utterly fearless and careless of
sit
At home his
consequences.
disobedience, irritability of domestic turmoil.
and stubborn-
When
permitted night, only upon his promise to return by a specified hour, he seemed utterly to forget supper, bedtime, or parental discipline and returned at his own pleasure or was found and brought home by his father. His other bad habits had also frequent
ness were
to go out
on
causes
the street at
increased rather than decreased.
Outwardly
there
was
no
apparent change
in his
condition,
careful examination of his mouth revealed the chief factor in his trouble. A number of his first teeth had not yet been shed and the second teeth were slowly forcing their way out alongside
but
a
His gums, now very much swollen and red, were of constant and almost unbearable irritation. He was immediately taken to the Dental Clinic where Dr. Edward C. Kirk was struck with the interesting condition of the boy and suggested of the old the
ones.
source
that the whole difficulty might primarily be due to In his report he says:?
impacted denti-
tion.
"On the lower right side, the space between the first permanent molar and first premolar has been partially closed by the pushing forward of the first permanent molar. This condition has
partial impaction of the second premolar which is, as yet, unerupted and which may be a source of peripheral irritation. On the whole, the case is, from my point of view, a typical one of
led
to a
what I called dentitional stress; that is to say, of nervous irritation leading to a choreic tendency resulting from the general nervous irritation which frequently arises during the period of exchange of the permanent for the deciduous set of teeth. "I is
fully
am
in
of the
place
that
nervous
consider it the part of other sources of nervous
the
secondary dentition phenomena disappear. I should wisdom to relieve the young boy of all stress until that stage of dentition already
opinion
his
as
soon as
will
CAN TEETH CAUSE MORAL
referred
to has
employments
been reached.
and
It is
DELINQUENCY?
a case
general improvement
for fresh of
rather than for medical treatment."
21
air, out-of-door
hygienic conditions
In spite of Harry's rebellion and loudly expressed fear, he immediately relieved of one outgrown canine tooth. The effect was almost instantaneous. His whole nervous system seemed
was
to express itself in one
Dental Clinic,
worker,
he
sigh
began
an
of relief.
On the way back from the
animated conversation with the social
unburdened his mind
many points and initiated conwhich have grown ever since. From that time his improvement has been marked and continuous. His teeth were removed gradually as it was found expedient. Closely associated 011
fidences
with this dental condition, and
possibly aggravated by it, was an Eye Clinic. In order to insure proper treatment, Harry was placed in charge of the social worker of the Psychological Clinic who saw that the drops were regularly put in his eyes, accompanied him to the eye specialist, and not only secured glasses for him but accomplished the hitherto impossible feat of making him wear them. eye weakness discovered at the
On
he
account of the dental work and the
was not sent
Clinic
a
private
intelligent demeanor
and
back to school
public was
school.
Through the Psychological boy could receive the
found where the
sympathetic training
under the
refraction of his eyes,
private instruction put upon his honor
he
needed.
His
has been that of
a
whole normal
and trusted in numberless boj. He has been ways and in every ca'se he has justified the expectations of his teacher. He is now a healthy boy, with a boy's natural curiosity, with good manners, good temper, with no more than the average
nervousness, and with every prospect of taking his proper place in society and developing into an efficient and moral citizen. The case described is typical of the work done in the Psychological Clinic. The home, public school, special school, and Juvenile Court with its system of probation, each working indepenhad The Psychological Clinic, performing the failed. dently, function of clearing house in relation to its allied agencies, was able
ameliorate the condition. In this case the Clinic came in contact with the home through a skilled social worker, who gave advice to the parents and information concerning various kinds of to
schools. It touched the public schools and special schools through the teacher and principal who first had trouble with this boy and were compelled at times to suspend him. To them it furnished information concerning the cause of the boy's bad conduct which
THE PSYCHOLOGICAL CLINIC.
22
may prove helpful in future cases. The Juvenile Court, through its probation officer, turned to the Clinic for information concerning the mental condition of this boy with special reference to his
responsibility, for in such a case of delinquency the first question of importance is whether the child is a moral imbecile and should be placed in some institution for life, or whether he is merely bad and in need of certain disciplinary and reformatory The various medical departments through their clinics, measures. and the Dental Department gave their contributions toward the solution of the problem; but, without some one to see that the boy visited these clinics, their effects would not have reached him. Finally, when the physical defects had been removed, the Psychological Clinic was brought in direct communication with a number of private schools and institutions. Cases of this kind illustrate the peculiar function of the Psychological Clinic and demonstrate the necessity for its existence. moral
No other institution for the welfare of children can take so comprehensive and intelligent an interest in each individual boy or
girl the
and at the case.
lating
same
bring
so
many agencies to bear upon its chief function is in corre-
Sociologically considered, agencies for ameliorating
these various
children.
time
the condition of
