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Description

IDIOTIC identifies persons who were considered "idiotic", the contemporary term for persons with mental disabilities. More on the disability status of an individual can be found in the DISABIL variable. 

Comparability

This variable is available for Norway, Sweden, Canada and the United States.

It is important to note that this variable is not integrated for Norway. The Norwegian census does not distinguish between insanity and learning disabilities; both are combined under "mental disease", which can be found under the DISABIL variable. Norway is included here to alert researchers that there is a closely related variable available.

The United States 1860 instructions to enumerators reserved the term "idiocy" for "persons who have never possessed vigorous mental facilities, but from their birth have manifested aberration". People who once had mental abilities but who had lost them were considered INSANE rather than IDIOTIC. 

Universe

Availability

• Canada: 1852, 1891
• Sweden: 1900
• United States: 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880