Reminiscences of Dr. Spurzheim and George Combe : and a review of the science of phrenology, from the period of its discovery by Dr. Gall, to the time of the visit of George Combe to the United States, 1838, 1840 / by Nahum Capen.

  • Capen, Nahum, 1804-1886.
Date:
1881
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Reminiscences of Dr. Spurzheim and George Combe : and a review of the science of phrenology, from the period of its discovery by Dr. Gall, to the time of the visit of George Combe to the United States, 1838, 1840 / by Nahum Capen. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School.

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    While it is true that there are more criminals in large than in small populations, and that the proportion of criminals to population is the evidence of the fact, yet that does not wholly explain why the criminal exists, unless it is admitted that populations create criminals in the ratio of crime-cause to these communities. Why an individual should be a criminal in a city and not in a village, is unex- plained by the proof that in the city he is, and in the vil- lage he is not, a criminal. If it is to be explained by the as- sertion that in a city the demand for employment is less than the supply, and the excess is forced into crime for support, then the question is at once suggested, why arc the unemployed persons driven to crime, if in these larger populations there are no predisposing causes which belong to them? Take the facts as they are, it Is plain that in large com- munities there are social forces, which by their pressure on parts or classes, evolve criminal conditions, and out of them, come crimes and criminals, or crime-cause forced into operation. One mode to test the influence of society as contributing to crime, educating in crime, creating crime-causes and crime classes, let us invite attention to the following statis- tics : We have given the several counties of this State,* then the number of crimes of which individuals have been con- victed, then the character of these crimes. While this is neither conclusive nor exhaustive of the premises to be proven, it is something to show what is the proportion of criminals to populations, and what counties produce the largest number of criminals, and for what offences they are charged. A comparison instituted from these facts will direct closer investigation and suggest into what channels investigation is to be directed. Such a comparison will be suggestive. Some light will be thrown on the subject, and thus enable scientists to adopt an initial point for co-oper- ative examinations in various localities. * Pennsylvania.