The article contends that autism is probably not a recent development among our society, but its characteristics can be traced back to the 1800s during the time that Howe was implementing schools for the physically and mentally disabled.  He received a grant that allowed him to assemble information about these people who acted socially abnormally.  The author of the paper shows us that these documented characteristics are very similar to those found in autistic people today.  The article concludes with the idea that answers and information about autism could possibly be found in the past.