Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-09-29

BY FREDERIC J. HAsKIN =

~ HICAGO, Ill. Sept 2S-The first DUTY OF psycho-
pathic laboratory is to look like something else
- The psychopathic laboratory or the Chlc3eo
,nic,no1 court is a suite of three cheerful rooms
looking out the eleventh story over an everyday
commonplace tangle of roofs and chimneys with 'he
~ f the street tempered by distance to reassurlng
murmur There of the atmosphere Oh inc
unusual or the mysterious that an array OF s'r@ee
scientific apparatus gives to an office because 'n
~ tronqe scientific apparatus present. They measure
minds here, minds are not measured Win 'Np
In order to be accurately measured minds must DC "
It is an expert job to put mind at ease when II Is
,b stunted mind of child mind derangeo' ana
it's owner has arrested and faces the prospect
anpearing before judge and hearing sentence pAsseu
- him Fut the laboratory does the trick, and this
unconcerned business-ke simplicity of furnishing Is
an important step in the process
The psychopathic laboratory can not do more than
sanle the before the various crinihal
branch courts of the municipal court There are aoouf
125 600 such cases in year which have to DO with
o1enses against city ordinances and state laws Those
cases go to laboratory when the onender seems 10
the Judge abnormal or where the nature OF inc
crime seems to argue abnormal mind In addition
selection made which shall represent ralrly 'he
oroI RIM of a davis work in courts. and thus
to data on which conclusions a the whole may
be based No prisoner is examined against MS Will
The laboratory is in charge of Dr. William Hick-
son. an American physician who has studied In the
European clinics the widespread relation OF OBJ
scure mental and crime was nrst recognized
and intensely studied
man in DR.. HicHsons position needs to have many
qualifications and a varied equipment OF sclentihc
lnoUledse He has be a skilled physician OF the
ordinary sort starter, as an astronomer
needs TO be skilled in the principles of surveying he
has to be a specialist top of that psychoo-
st versed not only IN normal psychology, but more
over and especially abnormal psychology, and an
expert alenst as we'll Criminal psychology as prao-
ticed today is abstruse science in ITSELF and the
of
down in the decade. In word, to hold Dr. H1ck-
son Iob Won have to combine training of college
professor of psychology that of the head physi
clan of an insane asylum. And all to find out why
some exceedingly grimy ragged youth of uncurbed
speech saw fit to assault policeman.
Such youth brought in by the bailin, sullen
and hostile views the world as his enemy; he has
the aerness Of the city streets but beneath
IS certain stolidty that tells why the Judge
Thought the laboratory might well take look at him.
For all that he would pass cursory examination
as a boy of ordinary intelligence As such he would
be treated most courts He Is about twenty years
old.
In the preliminary testing Dr. Efickson's wife takes
q hand Mrs Hickson Is something of specialist in
these matters herself with European training. The
laboratory employs two three assistants for apply
ing the simpler tests and each of these assistants
has had special training for the work. One of them
is q phvsician They put subject through the
elementary of the examination and the doctor
nspects interprets the results Cases with special
and features continually arising that de-
abnormal psychology in the world. 1t draws the
abnormals a population of 100000 peopleI 5000
policeman bring it material their daily work,
There is example, certain very form Of nerv
Gus disease connected with criminal impulses. When
the European clinics chance a case, invitations
are sent specialists all Europe and
study it, Before DR.. Hickson charge o
the Chicago laboratory week. the first Of this
sort was brought him.
In the meantime Mrs. Hckson has taken the youth
VINO wars police into the inner where tests
ara made in quiet. She has a wonderful knack for
making these human and mshts feel that they
ara in the hands of friend In giving the simple but
significant it is essential that the subject
he free from sullenness embarrassment The