“ For a year she could not walk without support, and it was two years before she could sit up all day. When she was live years old, her health was once more perfect, and her mind, unaffected by her distressful affliction, began to crave food. ”

“ A manual alphabet was used, and Laura learned to read and write in sixteen months, having acquired a considerable vocabulary. Her intellect developed rapidly, and she learned mathematical operations to a limited extent. Her case attracted a great deal of attention, and the system of instruction developed by Dr. Howe in her case was applied successfully to other children similarly deprived of their senses. Laura had no conception of religion up to her twelfth year, as her instructors purposely refrained from giving her any ideas of God until she was old enough to take a correct idea. ”

“ Laura was a delicate infant and subject to severe convulsions. Her health improved until she was two years old, at which age she was a very active and intelligent child, able to talk and familiar with some letters of the alphabet. As she was entering her third year, the family were smitten by the scarlet fever. Two older daughters died of the fever, and Laura was attacked by it For seven weeks she could not swallow solid food, and then both eyes and ears suppurated and her sight, hearing and sense of smell were totally destroyed. ”