Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 88.djvu/585

 Popular Science Monthly

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��against iheniscKcs and removed forever peculiar problems we place it before our from socio! >'. advisory board for special study.

At the conclusion of our experiments, Each day we receive a number of un-

��the need for a sure method of detecting the mentally defcc^- tive among the city's criminals be- came apparent and so after many con- ferences with the I3epartment of Cor- rection, Professor Edward L. Thorn- dike of Columbia University, Chief Justice McAdoo and a number of other magistrates. Police C o m m i s s i o n e r Woods brought the Psychojmthic Lab- oratory into being.

Before taking up my duties in the Laboratory, Inspec- tor Faurot and I went to Chicago, where we studied the methods em- ployed in the psychopathic labo- ratories there. Be- side myself we have an expert psycholo- gist. Dr. K. C. Rowe, who works in the laboratory every day. On our advi- sory l)oar(l we have I'-dward L. Thorn- dike, Professorof Kducational Psychology at Columbia, Dr. PVederick Tilney, Pro- fessor of Nervous and Mental Diseases at the College of Physicians and Sur- geons, Dr. August Hoch, Director of Psychiatric Institute, New York State Ilosj^itals, Dr. Woods Hutchinson, Ar- thur Train and Raymond D. Fosdick.

We ha\e not confmed ourselves to the use of any one particular test or scale for measuring mental ability, but have adapted to our particular needs certain parts of a number of well-known tests.

Every patient receives a thorough psychological, neurological and physical examination. If his case presents any

��Inspector Faurot turning over a case to the psychologist at the psychopathic laboratory at police headquarters. The inspector, at the right, is handing the history of the case to the psychologist

��usually interesting cases. I will cite a few at random.

���A criminal who, be- cause of his intelli- gence and the number and variety of his ex- ploits, might have been a stage crook was brought in for exami- nation. On the way to the laboratory he told the detective who had him in charge that the scrub woman who was working in the hall when they passed, knew him by name. He be- lieved that the children in the street recog- nized him and was sure that all Italians did. When examined, this man showed a very high intelligence, but he was suffering from a form of insanity which might, at any moment, take a homicidal turn. From the nature of his calling it will be seen that this man was fearless, yet his insan- ity had taken the form of abject fear of recog- nition. His case was incurable. Obviously, prison was not the place for him.

A fugitive from jus- tice was arrested. He had served two terms before, one for assault and one for abduction. Examination showed him to be a high-grade imbecile, his mental age being seven years. This condition is incurable and it is certain that each time such a person gets out of prison he will commit another crime. His ability to reason and his range of ideas were both exceedingly limited. A waiter was arrested charged with attempted blackmail. He had sent a threatening letter to a company demanding $500,000. When examined, he was perfectly willing to talk about his efforts to obtain the money and believed it was due him. He was found to be insane and the only proper treatment for this difficulty is that which he would receive in an insane asylum.

The most revolting and hideous crimes are those committed by mental defec- tives. These persons possess an unusual amoimt of cunning, which makes their apprehension difficult. It is generally

��A physician making an ex- amination of a prisoner at the psychopathic laboratory

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