The Health bulletin [serial] - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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April, 1927 The Health Bulletin 15
principal effect is on the mind, of tlie
ptiysical defect. Anything which heightens
irritability also heightens liability
to antisocial outbreaks. Defects of
speech and hearing and poor and undersized
body are more common among
boys ; on the other hand, conditions
touching the emotional life, chorea,
hyperthyroidism, excessive or premature
sexual development ; states, on the
whole somewhat exceptional in their
nature are noted more frequently
among delinquent girls.
Dr. Helen Montague, of the Children's
Court Clinic in New York, makes
the following statements: (1) The
physical condition of the delinquent
group is inferior to that of the normal
public school child. (2) The delinquent
group suffers mainly from nutritional
and glandular defects. (3) The physical
condition of the child is a strong
contribution to delinquency. (4) Successful
treatment of deliquency must include
the elimination of all physical
defects.
Certain diseases are thought to be
connected specifically with tendency to
crime ; these are such as epilepsy,
chorea, and encephalitis. Healey says
that a study made by him shows that
7 per cent in one thousand delinquent
children were epileptics. Encephalitis
is affecting a considerable number of
adults, but more children, in the United
States. Recent investigations claim that
this disease causes inflammation in certain
parts of the central nervous system,
especially the base of the brain, which
has a great deal to do with controlling
the tonicity and coordination of the
muscles. Dr. Cole states : "The sequela
most noticed in children are various
respiratory disorders ; irregular movements
with marked restlessness ; behaviour
activities of sudden and unaccountable
forms, tremors, and some
cases slowing of speech and muscle
movements. After this disease there
are often emotional outbreaks. Parents
must be made to realize that this is a
disease condition. The child is unable
to stand the least worry, becomes emotional,
irritable, restless, and may develop
strong criminal tendencies.
Dr. Carter, of Los Angeles, says of
children examined by him in 1924, 36
per cent were undernourished. Dr.
Montague, of New York, says in 743
children 31 per cent showed defects of
nutrition. Edwin Eisler states that
among one hundred cases in the Minneapolis
Child Guidance Clinic 16 per
cent demonstrated visual disturbances.
Visual defects are much higher
among delinquents. Defects of hearing
are not of so much importance as formerly
thought. Healey says that occluded
nostrils, adenoids and enlarged throats
may readily be sources of physical
weakness and general malaise. The
study of speech defects has showed that
the tendency to stuttering makes the
individual highly antisocial ; he finds
discomfort in society and often forms
miserably inferior association. Speech
defects lead to emotional disturbance
and discouragement may lead to psychoses
and marked suicidal tendencies.
Deaf-mutism might easily lead to recalcitrancy.
In a moderate number of
cases of course delinquent conduct is
originated of sex defects. Occasionally
one finds a case where some one condition
or experience seems to account for
the whole unfortunate tendency. The
following table is of interest. The table
is Dr. Healey's.
Male Female
Very poor physical development 26
Delayed puberty plus poor
development 7
General physical overdevelopment
6
Overdevelopment of general
physiological sex characteristics
17
Premature puberty, general
physical overdevelopment 9 19
Premature puberty, poor physical
development 4
General physiological overdevelopment—excess
of physical vigor—is
justly considered, in rare cases, as a
direct cause of delinquency ; and I express
my agreement with this opinion.
There are some individuals misplaced
in an environment which does not call
forth all their powers, whose very
superabundance of vitality makes for
criminal characteristics. The son of
my good friend, a boy of five who had
not had enough activity, walked over
and punched his nine-year-old brother
in the general region of the stomach.
The brother asked the reason, then the
father asked why he did it. He did not
know why, and he fabricated a reason
he sought an alibi. He had not com-