Autism Research launch Dec.23 2008

Hello, I'm looking for information about austism specifically when was the first documented in the history of man. I do know it was diagnose in 1941; 10 years after the use of thimerosal, or ethyl mercury in vaccinations in 1931. In 1970 the incidence of autism was 1 in 10,000 and this year it is 1 in 150 (2008), with male:female predominance of 4:1.