CRIMINAL ANTHROPOLOGY IN ITALY. 745 



make careful observations not only on other parts of the skeleton 

 but on the living body; the height, length, and proportion of the 

 members, the total or partial development of each part; the weight 

 of the body, its muscular development, the deeper-seated organs, 

 such as the heart, liver, kidneys, intestines; the various functions 

 which may directly or indirectly affect those of the brain, such as 

 the circulation of the blood, digestion, and the disturbances which 

 show themselves there, and in consequence of the general state of the 

 organism as regards the balance of the vital functions; sleep, sexual 

 manifestations, normal or abnormal muscular force, and other factors 

 besides. Everything, indeed, which concerns the morphology of the 

 criminal is passed through the sieve of the severest scrutiny. This 

 scrutiny reveals, as might be expected, various irregularities. The 

 skull, for instance, presents anomalies of shape and size, being in a 

 large percentage of cases abnormally small; anomalies indicative of 

 regression and of arrested development; anomalies in the position, 

 shape, and closing of the sutures, " the doorways of the head " being 

 invariably closed too early. Morphological irregularities are also 

 found in the bones of the face, notably in those of the nose and 

 lower jaw. The brain itself, say the investigators, shows unmis- 

 takable signs of a degraded form, in the number and distribution of 

 the cerebral convolutions, in the entire atrophy of some parts, in the 

 extraordinary development of others. The shape and structure of 

 the skull and brain, says Lombroso, connect criminals very closely 

 with primitive man, and even with his animal ancestors. Criminals 

 must be regarded either as forms belated in the race of development, 

 or as physical and therefore also moral degradations — unavoidable, 

 regrettable products of our civilization. In either case they form a 

 distinct species, in need of scientific investigation. 



The action of the brain is, however, not only modified by its 

 form and development, but also, in a very large number of cases, by 

 pathological occurrences. Traces of old wounds, " some head-blow 

 not heeded in his youth," said Sir Kay of King Arthur's self — hem- 

 orrhages, affections of the investing membrane and of the blood- 

 vessels are seldom wanting. In other words, the organ that controls 

 and originates actions is in a morbid state. Further, the slight 

 irregularities constantly verified in the branchings of the blood- 

 vessels in the heart, liver, and other viscera can not but conspire, by 

 the abnormal functioning^ they occasion, toward the production of 

 physiologically irregular organisms. 



Intimately connected with the physical conditions of the criminal 

 are his psychic peculiarities. These consist chiefly in great instabil- 

 ity of character, coupled with overwhelming development of some 

 passion and the atrophy of some others. The criminal acts from 



VOL. LII.— 55 



