CRIMINAL ANTHROPOLOGY. " 651 



was a vagabond, would cry without reason, her memory was feeble, she 

 could read and write, but did not understand arithmetic. She seemed 

 to have no moral sense, was without modesty and knew not virtue. Her 

 actions and conduct was such as not to be described. 



Augustine L. was 14 years old. She entered St. Anne at 10 years. 

 Her family back to her grandparents had been seriously affected with 

 epilepsy, alcoholism, delirium, etc. Her physiognomy was agreeable 

 and there were no signs of physical degeneration. She had an excita- 

 ble disposition, her humors were unequal, sometimes she worked with 

 facility, other times she was incapable of attention. She had alterna- 

 tions of excitement and depression, was unstable, passionate, idle, liar 

 to an extreme degree, was tormented by sexual pre-occupation, was 

 without any moral sense, without modesty, pity, or affection. Never- 

 theless was notun-intelligent, although her memory had been neglected. 

 Upon occasions she was a good worker, but usually* she engaged in all 

 sorts of vagabond, idle, evil life and conduct. - - - 



Gorgette J. was 12 years of age. Her ])hysiognomy was agreea- 

 ble, without au}^ ])hysical stain or stigma that would give the idea that 

 she was a degenerate. The contrast between her physical appearance 

 and her moral state presented a series of deformities unbelievable. She 

 was undisciplined and so could scarcely read or write. Evil practices 

 commenced at 5 years of age and were frightful. Their relations are 

 shocking and impossible to relate. 



And so there were others : Jeanne D., Lizzie X., and others again 

 and again quoted by Dr. Magnan, many of whose photographs he ex- 

 hibited to me. He said those were cited simply as illustrations. The 

 numbers which had come within his observation were many, but even 

 this frequency does not cause us only to accord a secondary impor- 

 tance to these physical signs which are inconstant, and even wich the 

 aid of all they seem very difi&cult to form or constitute a type. 



It is not the general contestable characters as yet undetermined, that 

 can be used to clear the conscience of the magistrate. Medical juris- 

 I^rudence demands from the medical faculty greater certainty. The 

 medical expert can not attain to that necessary degree of precision 

 without complete clinical examination in each particular case. Each 

 case, he said, requires a ])Ositive diagnosis in order to respond to the 

 enigmas of the case or the denumds of medico-legal inquest. 



Dr. Motet presented some statistics and with them general consider- 

 ations in order to complete the communication of Dr. Magnan. Of the 

 children brought to the house of correction during the 10 years from 

 1871 to 1884, there were 2,324 children admitted; ()80 were illiterate; 

 1,119 had been abandoned. He was in favor of a strong organization 

 which would give to these unfortunates an education which was at 

 once physical, intellectual, and moral. The agricultural j)enitentiary 

 colonies were not his ideal when it concerned a child of the large cities. 

 He declared that the State alone ought to have charge and direction 



