The «Alpine moron», a medical and literary curiosity

In the 19th century, a strange figure fueled the tales of travelers climbing the mountains of Switzerland: the «Alpine cretin». Whether a folk monster or the object of medical interest, his story reveals much more than a simple health phenomenon.

When Thomas Martyn visited Switzerland in 1788, the experience left its mark on him in many ways. The British naturalist documented his journey in a Traveler's Guide to Switzerland. In it, he wrote of the Valais region that «imbeciles, called cretins, are in great numbers. Here, goiters or swollen necks are also beginning to be common.» Martyn is not alone in this experience. Many travelers discovering the Alps encounter strange beings, who are in a state of advanced physical and mental degeneration.

In 1842, it was estimated that over 8,000 morons lived in Switzerland. That's the equivalent of 0.33 % of l