The treatment of word-blindness, acquired and congenital
J Hinshelwood - The British Medical Journal, 1912 - JSTOR
J Hinshelwood
The British Medical Journal, 1912•JSTORThe subject of word-blindness is now receiving increased attention from ophthalmic
surgeons. My communication in 1900f*. on the subject of congenital word-blindness first
drew the attention of ophthalmic surgeons to the im portance of the subject, and in 1904 I
made two com munications 2 at the Oxford meeting of the British Medical Association? one
on acquired, and another on congenital word-blindness. Since then many communications
on the subject have appeared in the ophthalmic journals, so that it is evident that ophthalmic …
surgeons. My communication in 1900f*. on the subject of congenital word-blindness first
drew the attention of ophthalmic surgeons to the im portance of the subject, and in 1904 I
made two com munications 2 at the Oxford meeting of the British Medical Association? one
on acquired, and another on congenital word-blindness. Since then many communications
on the subject have appeared in the ophthalmic journals, so that it is evident that ophthalmic …
The subject of word-blindness is now receiving increased attention from ophthalmic surgeons. My communication in 1900f*. on the subject of congenital word-blindness first drew the attention of ophthalmic surgeons to the im portance of the subject, and in 1904 I made two com munications 2 at the Oxford meeting of the British Medical Association? one on acquired, and another on congenital word-blindness. Since then many communications on the subject have appeared in the ophthalmic journals, so that it is evident that ophthalmic surgeons are now realizing that this is a subject which is worthy of careful study, as the oculist is frequently the first person to be consulted in such cases, from the very natural belief on the part of the patient that the inability to read is due to some ocular defect. Hence it is most important that he should not only be able to recognize them, but he should also know what is the best method of treatment.
The old idea was that nothing could be done for such cases, but it is now quite clear, both in acquired and congenital word-blindness, much can be done if the treat ment is conducted on proper lines. The object of this communication is to attempt to convey more precise and definite information as to the line of treatment which affords the best chances of success. It was Kussmaul3 who first clearly pointed out that blindness for words is capable of being met with clinically as an isolated condition, and that it represents the patho logical condition of a special faculty. Before the publica tion of Kussmaul's article, however, Sir William Broad bent 4 had already called attention to cases where the patients wrere unable to read printed and written wrords, but in these cases the inability to read was accompanied by speech disturbances, such as verbal aphasia or amnesia, in a greater or less degree. Kussmaul's exact words are," a complete text-blindness may exist, although the power of the sight, the intellect, and the powers of speech are intact." He invented the term" word-blindness" for this
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