John Langdon Down

Down Syndrome was named after John Langdon Down, a British Doctor who, in 1862, was the first to classify this Condition.

John Langdon Down was born in 1828.

Down started his career as the Chief Physician at the Earlswood Asylum where Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities were sent.

Down had no previous experience in caring for people with Disabilities.

At a time when many ignored the Disabled and even devalued their existence Down showed empathy for them.

He was outraged by the inhumane treatment they received at Asylums: physical punishment, poor hygiene and high mortality rates.

Down worked to change all of this at Earlswood. He hired new Staff, demanded proper care and strict hygiene, banned physical punishment and introduced activities such as Arts and Crafts for the Patients.

Down also became the first to describe Down Syndrome.

It is important to note that the name “Down” in Down Syndrome has no relation to delays or prognosis associated with the condition.

It simply honors the Doctor (Down) who worked hard to bring dignity and good care to People with Down Syndrome.

When he photographed his Patients (for Medical Observations) he did so with care and sensitivity portraying them in elegant attire and favorable poses.

In 1868 Down bought a mansion (called Normansfield) to house people with Down Syndrome.

Residents received private education and did activities such as horse riding, gardening, crafting and other creative practices. He also built a small theater which promoted the artistic and social development among the Residents.  

Besides his care for those with Down Syndrome and other Disabilities Down also promoted Higher Education for Women as well as paying them for the work they did and even petitioned the Lords of Earlswood to pay his Wife who was running Earlswood. The request was denied and helped Down leave Earlswood and open Normansfield.

Down died in 1896 at the age of 67.

Normansfield is now the Headquarters of Down's Syndrome Association.

Many people today are using DEI (which supports the Disabled and Women being included into society) as a means to use these groups as scapegoats to further their own ambitions the same way they did in the 1800s.

In the 1800s there were great men like Doctor John Langdon Down that fought to include the Disabled and Women into Society and not treated as sub-humans.

In 2025 there are great men and women who are still fighting to include the Disabled and Women into Society and not have them be treated as sub-humans and scapegoats.