IDIOT. A person who has been without understanding from his nativity, and whom the law, therefore, presumes never likely to attain any. Shelf. Lun. 2; 3 Witth. & Beck. Med. Jur. 371.
It is an imbecility or sterility of mind, and not a perversion of the understanding; Chit ty, Med. Jur. 327, 345; 1 Rus. Cr. 6; Bacon, Abr. Idiot, (A) ; Brooke, Abr..; Co. 14t, 246, 247; 4 Co. 120 ; 1 Bla. Com. 302; Tayl.' Necl, 688. When man cannot count or ber twenty, ',nor: tell his father's :or':'llibther's 'name, nor how old he is, having been 'quently told of it, it is a fair . presumption that he is of understanding; Flip. N. B. 233. See .,1 Dow, N. S. 392;.3 Bligh. S'. 1. Persons 'born ' deaf, dumb, and blind were presumed to be idiots; for, the senses being'the only'inlets of knowledge, and these, the most important of them, being closed, all ideas and associations belonging to them are totally excluded from their minds; Co. Litt. 42; Shelf. Lun. 3. See
State v. Howard, 11R Mo. 24'S. W. 41. But this is a mere presumption, which, like most others, may be rebutted; and doubtless a person born deaf, dumb,. and blind, who could be taught to read and write, would 'not be considered an idiot. Reniarkable in Stances of such are fOUnd In the persons of Laura Bridgman and Helen Keller who have been taught how to converse, and even 'to write. See Locke, Hum. Und. b. 2, o. 11;LO 12, 13; Ayliffe, Pend. 234; 4 610; 8 id. 644. See DEAF AND Duisin; DUMB AND BLIND; IDIOCY. " Idiots are incapable of committing crimes, or entering into contracts. They cannot, of course, make a will; but they may acquire property by descent.