Since 1938, there have come to our attention a number of children whose condition differs so markedly and uniquely from anything reported so far, that each case merits a detailed consideration of its fascinating peculiarities.

Archiv fur Psychiatrie und Nervenkrankheiten (1944), 117, ppp. 76-136

In 1867 Maudsley, the noted British psychiatrist, included in his textbook, Physiology and Pathology of Mind, a 34-page chapter on "Insanity of Early Life." In it he not only tried to correlate symptoms with developmental status but also suggested an elaborate seven-point classification, which went as follows: 1. Monomania; 2. Choreic mania; 3. Cataleptoid insanity; 4. Epileptoid insanity; 5. Mania; 6. Melancholia; 7. Affective insanity. Anyone superciliously critical either of the terminology based on the then circulating coinage or of the cohesion of the grouping may be reminded that the differentiation of the childhood psychoses has to this day not gone far beyond a degree of controversial floundering. (Journal of Autism and Childhood Schizophrenia, 1971, 1(1):14-19)

American Journal of Psychiatry. 1951 Jul;108(1):23-6

Journal of Autism and Childhood Schizophrenia 1971 Apr-Jun;1(2):119-45

The case histories of 9 autistic children, 8 boys and 1 girl, selected from a total of 96 so diagnosed at The John Hopkins Hospital prior to 1953, are presented in some detail and discussed. These children, first evaluated and given the diagnosis at an age ranging from 2 years and 10 months to 8 years and 1 month, are presently in their 20's and 30's. Their development is traced from acute psychotic infancy until the end of 1971. Having made a sufficient social adjustment, they manage to function as self-dependent individuals, mostly well educated and all gainfully employed. Attention is drawn to differences between this group and other autistic patients, maturational and environmental issues as well as to past and present patterns of behavior and personality structure.

Behav Sci. 1965 Oct;10(4):412-20

Acta paedopsychiatrica, 35:136-145, 1968