Muntakhab al-tawarikh 35: Experimental Seclusion of Infants.

35

[Text, vol. ii. p. 288.] [In this year (989 H.), in order to verify the circumstances of the case (of the man who heard without ears), an order was issued that several suckling infants should be kept in a secluded place far from habitations, where they should not hear a word spoken. Well-disciplined nurses were to be placed over them, who were to refrain from giving them any instruction in speaking, so as to test the accuracy of the tradition which says, "Every one that is born is born with an inclination to religion," by ascertaining what religion and sect these infants would incline to, and above all what creed they would repeat. To carry out this order, about twenty sucklings were taken from their mothers for a consideration in money, and were placed in an empty house, which got the name of Dumb-house. After three or four years the children all came out dumb, excepting some who died there — thus justifying the name which had been given to the house.]