Date | No. of weeks/months | Observations* | Date | No. of months | Observations* | |
1810 | ||||||
2–6 | 7 | Vaccinated | 28–7 | 15 m | Now ran and walk about as he pleased | |
2–6 | 7 | Began to hold his head up | 4–8 | 15 m | Only made three sounds | |
20–6 | 9 | Began to notice bright objects | 4–8 | 15 m | Links actions of his Aunt with sounds | |
1–7 | 11 | Smiled when smiled upon | 1–9 | 16 m | “articulate some sounds with measuring certainly to comprehend much of was said to him, he could also hang up and take down again the Hearth Brush from the nail” | |
1–7 | 11 | Smiled at Mother and servant | 9–9 | 16 m | Could repeat the words “All gone” and Cat | |
10–8 | 17 | Observing and recognising people | 12–9 | 17 m | Could get up stairs on his own | |
1–9 | 20 | Shake bells to make noise | 14–9 | 17 m | Seeing pictures of family would point and say “der-der” | |
10–9 | 21 | Rubbed eyes with back of hands | 14–9 | 17 m | Took a ride on a stick as a toy horse | |
27–9 | 24 | Guided Tea Cup to mouth | 16–9 | 17 m | Threw stones into a Wheel Barrow—no obvious purpose | |
1–10 | 24 | Distinguishing objects by contact | 29–9 | 17 m | Gave bread of his own accord to the cat | |
1–10 | 24 | Resting on feet [?standing] | 15–10 | 18 m | Started spinning a top | |
1–10 | 24 | Moved arms and legs to mother and servant [?“flying”] | 15–10 | 18 m | Point out of the door and say “out dere!” | |
7–10 | 25 | Examines curtains with both hands | 15–10 | 18 m | Point into the door and say “in dere!” | |
11–10 | 26 | Moves keys from one hand to the other | 15–10 | 18 m | Would take up his father’s hat in order to be taken out | |
15–10 | 26 | Rattled pebbles in a basket to make noise | 15–10 | 18 m | Understood that a door would not open without a key | |
20–10 | 27 | Took paper in both hands and tore it | 31–10 | 18 m | No improvement in speech but good understanding | |
28–10 | 28 | Attempted to touch objects with pencil | 31–10 | 18 m | Went to Father’s room to get hands and face washed | |
28–10 | 28 | Held to looking glass and immediately turned away | 31–10 | 18 m | Would strike the floor with his hand to get his Gramma to sit down to reach pocket to obtain key but unable to unlock cupboard—would pull somebody to do it for him | |
9–11 | 30 | Looked at looking glass without interest | 31–10 | 18 m | When door open would take sugar—eat a little and then offer a little to everyone, happened several mornings | |
9–11 | 30 | Pat his hand and even slapped it [in “pat-a-cake”] | 5–11 | 18 m | When weighed, pulled John Giddy to the scales and pointed to the weights then ran off with 7 lb weight | |
22–11 | 32 | Responded to kiss by putting his face to the nurse’s | 15–11 | 19 m | Deemed to progress in every way except speaking | |
23–11 | 32 | Drew finger across table to make a noise | 15–11 | 19 m | Understood what was said and made signs for what he wanted—“we fancied that he called after me Dar Dar” | |
23–11 | 32 | Guides nurse’s hand with sponge to wash his face | 2–12 | 19 m | Moved a chair in the middle of the room to its place | |
27–11 | 32 | Turns correct direction to follow a noise | 8–12 | 20 m | Took 3 day old baby in his arms and kissed it | |
3–12 | 33 | Recognises people by name | 9–12 | 20 m | Repeated with baby and tried to speak | |
8–12 | 34 | Makes loud noises and “almost attempting to speak” | 10–12 | 20 m | Relationship about baby, father, mother and servant | |
19–12 | 36 | Press down harpsichord keys | 20–12 | 20 m | Distinctly say Papa | |
19–12 | 36 | Made a sound like – “ger” | 1812 | Ms | ||
19–12 | 36 | Played with Bell-cord to ring the bell | 20–1 | 21 m | Able to walk up steps without help | |
19–12 | 36 | Pulled the old cat’s hair rather than pat it | 29–1 | 21 m | When Gilbert left his umbrella Charles ran after him with it. | |
27–12 | 37 | Will vomit with anything more solid than custard | 29–1 | 21 m | Pointed out Rs and As which had been shown him | |
27–12 | 37 | Shows sympathy when his infant sister cries | 8–2 | 21 m | Said Papa clearly | |
30–27 | 37 | When going to another room he tries to turn lock | 12–2 | 22 m | Said Apple | |
1811 | Wk/Mo | 21–2 | 22 m | Would exhibit “little obstinacies” | ||
15–1 | 40 | Tries to use broom | 21–2 | 22 m | Small rod of fine heath was made and used | |
15–1 | 40 | Prefers standing up to sitting or carried by nurse | 21–3 | 23 m | Pulled his little cart through the streets | |
15–1 | 40 | Active all day and sat on scales without help | 31–3 | 23 m | Began to recognise instructions to do things | |
27–1 | 41 | Went to special church service and was attentive | ??–4 | 23 m | Used shovel in the fireplace and brushed up hearth | |
27–1 | 41 | Took a shell in each hand and struck one on the other | 13–4 | 24 m | Celebrated 2nd birthday but no observations | |
5–2 | 42 | Started making a sound “like da in French” | 12–5 | 25 m | When shoes dirty said “Tee Ta” and ran for brush and cleaned his father’s shoes | |
10–2 | 43 | Raise from ground “by the help of 2 fingers only” | 3–6 | 25 m | Charles showed “those little forwardness’s to which all children are liable” His mother using the little rod “gave him one smart blow”—“he became a good Boy” | |
10–2 | 43 | Raised himself with one hand to take a picture with other | 3–6 | 25 m | Understands very well but still lacking in speech | |
4–3 | 46 | Makes signs for most things he wants | 21–6 | 26 m | Charles received 5 strokes for being obstinate | |
4–3 | 46 | Tried turning lock in door | 2–7 | 26 m | Charles drew bow on violin and not pleased till his brother, John, heard the music | |
4–3 | 46 | Tried to get into box containing shells | 17–7 | 27 m | Addressed his father in the morning—“how do” | |
20–3 | 48 | Would open and shut Venetian Window Blinds | 1–9 | 28 m | Carried a sheaf of oats on his shoulder | |
20–3 | 48 | Turned himself to reach items fallen out of reach | 13–9 | 29 m | Charles climbed a small slope more easily than his father remembers doing at the same age | |
20–3 | 48 | Could stand with very little assistance but did not crawl | 15–9 | 29 m | Worked in the fields with the men harvesting | |
24–3 | 49 | Charles became unwell and was sick till mid April | 15–10 | 30 m | Speech improving—could open and shut doors, climb up to a chair carrying various things, to replace himself those things he should not touch, eg fire irons | |
12–4 | 12 m | Charles “returned the ball to me several times with a pretty good general direction” | 15–10 | 30 m | His Temper and disposition promise equally with his abilities | |
13–4 | 12 m | When asked, directed his eyes to “Papa” and “Gramma” | 26–10 | 30 m | Long entry about a test of the father’s lenient approach | |
13–4 | 12 m | “I this day carried him into that room when he kept turning his Eyes from me to the Picture and back again several times” | 3–11 | 30 m | Good disposition—asked for pears to give away | |
12–5 | 13 m | Began to crawl a little and put toys in trunk | 9–11 | 31 m | More manly in his “sports” pushing wheel barrow, cart | |
24–5 | 13 m | Began to walk with guidance rather than support | 9–11 | 31 m | “began to express sentences having never been at the habit of simply speaking words” | |
27–5 | 13 m | Habit of offering things with his hand | 13–11 | 31 m | “this day I observed him to use the personal Pronoun” | |
15–6 | 14 m | Took steps alone in Hyde Park | 4–12 | 31 m | Exhibited regular discourse—question and answer | |
15–6 | 14 m | Would crawl upstairs and endeavour to push chairs | 22–12 | 32 m | Kissed his sister and help feed her with a spoon | |
15–6 | 14 m | “He now seemed to connect Ideas with some particular sounds but could not articulate” | 30–12 | 32 m | Much improved in his speech | |
22–6 | 14 m | Began to run holding by one hand | 1813 | |||
24–7 | 15 m | Walk on lawn with a leading string | 15–1 | 33 m | Improvement in speech and understanding as well as using Nouns and Verbs | |
24–7 | 15 m | Understanding what was said to him when being led | 30–1 | 33 m | Important entry relating to the manner in which Charles responded to Giddy’s method of upbringing | |
24–7 | 15 m | Fond of paddling in water | 1–3 | 34 m | Charles wished his father “Many happy returns” | |
24–7 | 15 m | “liked to do things alone and would remove a hand offering to assist him” | 22–4 | 36 m | Charles and father out in the park together† |
A fuller version of these observations is available at http://mh.bmj.com/content/vol34/issue2
*These exclude sickness, height, weight and when he cut his teeth.
†This is the last entry written while Charles was alive.