The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-09-05
EXTRA
sis O'CLOCK.
The DOCTORS.
CriminoIogy and
Sociology.
The Subjects Discussed at
the Meeting.
InsbrIsiy a Disease ParaIyzins the
Nerves and Brain.
"A Drunken Man is Not Responsible
for His Acts.
The Subjects Discussed at
the Meeting.
Insbrlsiy a Disease ParaIyzing the
Nerves and Brain.
"A Drunken Man is Not Responsible
for His Acts.

NEW YorA, Sept 5.-Sociology and
criminology formed the subjects discuss
ed during the first portion OF the morn
ing session of the second days meeting
OF the Medico-Legal congress.
The session opened with Hon. Moritz
Ellingre presiding.
The business opened with fiye-minute
addresses. The chairman, in opening, said
there was no more important matter be-
tween the legal and medical sciences than
the point where they met. This was impor-
tant especially in the matter OF public
health and more particularly of insani-
~. Lawyers should keep their minds open
and law, like everything else, should be
progressive. To the medical brethren he
said IL they had theory let them not be
rigidly logical, let them rather be prac-
tical.
DIR. I. ID. crothers read paper on
"Legal responsibility in Inebriety, ~
which was laid over from yesterday. lie
held that inebriety was a disease and that
excess OF alcohol paralyZed the nerves and
brain. He pointed out that capital pun
ishment inflicted for murders committed
by a person in a state of inebriety had
not the slightest effect In deterring others
in similar condition from committing
the same crimes. All the senses were
disturbed in the inebriate until finally
paralysis came. The inebriate is q men,
tai paralytic.
In the discussion OF the paper Albert
Bach said the courts very properly held
the inebriate responsible for crime be-
cause he knew what the effect OF his
taking alcoholic drink would be. He ad-
mitted that man in an aloholic trance
was not really responsible for his actions,
vet II would be a dangerous thing to per-
init the inebriate to escape punishment
for his crime.
DR.. Forbes Winslow said the only cure
for the habitual drunkard was to lock
him up. In England, however, a man in
deIlrfum tremens, when he gets well, could
bring civil action against the doctor
who. restrained him.
DIR. Crothers, in a five minutes talk,
said Criminology as in state of chaos AT
the present time. In studying crime the
man should be considered and he believed
the criminal as stamped on the body.
DIR. Ross OF Washington was now called
upon TO preside.
DR. Forbes Winslow then read a paper
on "Suicidde considered as a mental epi-
Gemic." He said in part that all human
actions were under the sience and power
OF example more than percept, and con-
sequently self-destruction had often been
Justified by an appeal to the customs of
past ages. History was replete with ex-
amples of moral and criminal epedemics
during the past centuries. Incendiarism,
fnfanticide, kleptomanic, homicide, and
suicide had all during this century been
epidemic at one time or another, The
passions exercised SO despotic tyranny
over the physical economy that IL as ma
tural to expect that the crime of suicide
should often be traced TO the Influence
OF mental cauess. DISAPPOINTMENT in love,
Jealousy, reverses OF fortune and poverty
We're chief causes of suicide. There was
nopassion of the mind which so readily
drove person to suicide as remorse. The
asylums, he pointed out, were filled with
victims of unrequitted love, the chief
cause OF insanity among women.
Albert Bach read Gustave Boehm's
paper on ''Suicide and the right TO COM
NIT it,
The paper contended II was unfair TO
proclaim the suicide a lunatic. The tenn
porary insanity was a cheap verdict out
OF the dilemma. As long as il was gem
orally beneficially to most needy of as
sistance, they might well allow il TO
stand good. The insanity plea was con-
veninet bridge over the legal compica-
tion and convenient circumstances. The !
man who arranges his affairs and then
calmly and methdoically cuts his trhoat +,
sbouldnnot be declared a fool. To class |
him as a criminal as the present penal
code OF New York codes, was rather un-
fair. The law was more capable TO re- |
duce suicidal acts than the babarity OF
capitaI punishment will prove the murder |
III was the wrong method TO scare men |
away from the paths of suicide by threat |
ening 20 punish them II they did not /
succeed.