• American Studies
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.39-79
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• 2021

This paper examines professional and popular medical discourse on "mongolism" (Down syndrome) in the early twentieth century to delve into the history of mongolism and the "Oriental imaginary" of modern America. The Oriental imaginary is a concept to explore the ways in which Americans, who had heard of mongolism or seen a "Mongol" themselves, imagined and conceptualized the defect in terms of the contemporary race relations. Moving beyond the interests of medical professionals discussed in the previous scholarship, this paper aims to include views and perceptions of the American public. The second section reviews the existing studies of the history of mongolism in the West. The third section discusses the mongolism of Asians and African Americans, among whom it had long been believed not to occur. Lastly, an analysis of American newspaper health advice columns on mongolism sheds light on the public reception and transmission of medical knowledge.