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Konigsberg: 3 febr 1843

Dear Sir;

I beg you to accept my best thanks for the kind communication of your tenth report, which is of the highest interest as well to the scientifical anthropologist, as to the Philanthropist. It has afforded me great pleasure to learn by your relation to Oliver Caswell the method of the first teaching of the blind deaf and dumbs. But still it is incomprehensible to me, how your pupils do comprehend all such things, who are not objects of feeling, as it is hardly possible to employ gestures and miens, used with those deaf and dumbs, who are seeing. To mention for instance the utterances of Laura Bridgeman, which you state pag.30, by what means did she comprehend the "noise," by what method did she learn the understanding of to "can," to "think," to "remember," to "love." How could she get an idea of the relations: "how", "because"? and how the abstractions: "things," "times," etc. If you might have the kindness to apprise me thereof, you will greatly obliged me.

I am endeavoring to obtain more materials for the statistic of blinds, and shall not fail to communicate to you the accounts relating thereto. Meanwhile I give you the following small table:

With regard to the hereditary tendency, a statement of the institution of blinds at Dresden relates thereto in some measure among 165 blind children were 21 blind born, and these out of 9 families.

Among them

I am very desirous of your further interesting communications, and remain with the sincerest respect Your obliged colleague, Murdack

Adress: Geheimer Medicinal Bath Murdack Konigsberg in Preussen

PS