Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 3.djvu/31

 STUDY OF THE CRIMINAL IN MEXICO \^

extreme forms are rare. Asymmetry of skull and of face, pro- jecting ears, absence of the helix of the ear, attached lobule, dis- proportionate size of the ear, all these are common among Mexican as among European criminals.

Unfortunately, however, in Mexico we have no observations on normal cases for comparison. That any mark or character shall be called a stigma of degeneration or criminality it must not be among the normal race characters of the people studied. What is distinctly degenerate among one people may be quite normal in another. Our authors do not overlook these facts. In only one case, however, have they data regarding the normal race type ; in the matter of skull form and asymmetry of the skull they have the evidence drawn from 594 normal cases. The result of comparison shows plainly enough that asymmetry is more common in criminals than in honest folk.

Chapters upon Hygiene of the Penitentiary and Medical Sta- tistics follow. Finally the authors present five full-page plates, each showing twenty portraits of criminals, and four most impor- tant chart tables. On these are shown the collected data for all the twenty-six cases. I. Brains. II. Details of anatomo-path- ological lesions as shown by autopsies. III. Craniometric ; sev- enty measures being made on each skull. IV. Cranioscopic.

It is certain that Dr. Baca has developed a department of criminal anthropology far more comprehensive in plan and scope than any in our own country ; it is also certain that his book is the most important original contribution of material yet made in criminology in America. While it may be regretted that Lom- broso's ideas have so strongly influenced the authors, and while our lack of data regarding normal Mexican Indians is to be deplored, this carefully presented mass of observations is of great value.

FREDERICK STARR.

THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO.