A Brief History of Autism | Mind You Reflections on mental illness, mental health and life
By Dr. David Laing Dawson In the era (1700 - 1900) before prenatal care, public health (sanitation, potable water), vaccination and antibiotics, about 50% of children did not survive. If a "feeble-minded" or otherwise disabled child did survive, against the odds, it was up to the family to provide care, or send off to a…