stinct at this time in a child's life is extraordinarily powerful. The youthful character is not yet strongly enough fortified to withstand these excitations which occur in all parts of the sexual tract, and which are often enough abnormally stimulated by transmitted sensations from other functional groups or through various kinds of emotional states. Thus, the overpowering instinct which is often subjected to clearly defined periodic changes drives the child into a life of storm and stress which may, and in no small number actually does, lead to masturbation, sexual perversion and inversion, crime, and prostitution. Ethics and morality are in danger of suffering shipwreck under the impetus of these sweeping impulses, which may produce, in neurasthenically inclined individuals, a distinct type of pathologic deviation: sexual neurasthenia and sexual precocity (cf. case of H. H. (Case 43), mentioned in previous chapter). Lying and deceiving, slander, intriguing, and theft, a morbid desire for alcohol and tobacco, are symptoms of a perverted sex instinct, or of one which is in danger of perversion. Even in the development of youthful hysteria puberty marks the time which decides the significance of this disease for the life of the child suffering from it. There may be observed depressive manias, fixed ideas, obsessions, morbid fears, forced actions; epileptic symptoms may appear or true epilepsy may develop either in its motor or in its psychic form.

Other Psychopathic Symptoms. In the previous chapters reference has been repeatedly made to various psychopathic symptoms. There are conditions of nervous fatigue, of timidity, of negativism (which must be differentiated from mere disobedience, which latter is

merely a matter of habit training), and many other mental states which are psychopathic in character. We may observe manifestations of disproportionately strong reactions to stimuli and impressions such as pain, tickling, etc.; of subjection to frights and terrors, and those disturbances of the psychic equilibrium as in "tantrums" and fits of temper, which are almost maniacal in form; also vivid sensory illusions, hallucinations, and the like. Further, we have the restless sleep, the excessively vivid dreams, the awakening in alarm, with crying and kicking, or even sleep-walking (somnambulism). There are also the strange fears1 and obsessions which induce the child to be afraid of getting dressed or undressed, of having water touch him, or of being touched by a stranger; of walking across an open square or field, or of being in the dark; the horror of noises or of stillness; of being with other children, or of being alone; and many other strange idiosyncrasies. Then there are the "habit spasms" mentioned in a previous chapter, also called "tics," like shrugging and jerking, the tendency to tear and soil and destroy things, etc. These manifestations may be merely occasional or transitory, and then they are counted among the so-called "bad habits"

1 Arthur J. Westermayr, in his book, "The Psychology of Fear," says: "Reference should be made to certain abnormal forms of fear for which no excuse can be offered except that they are congenital and perhaps due to antenatal states of the mother; severe fright of the mother is known to mark the child by an unnatural sensitiveness to certain kinds of danger. As abnormal appetites are thus created, so an unnatural fear may be born in the offspring." The author is not inclined to think that Westermayr's view is tenable in all cases of strange and apparently unaccountable fears, if it is tenable at all. Some fears are indeed inherited, but not in the way Westermayr assumes, but as reverberations of primordial experiences of our remote ancestors. In this class belongs the fear of snakes, spiders, water, etc.

which are often enough perfectly natural outcroppings of instincts normal for the developmental period through which the child passes at the time; these will be lopped off by the natural process of growth and by educational influences. But when the child's conduct is distinctly pathological, the early advice of experienced specialists in education and psychiatry is required.

Children who suffer from vasomotor disturbances (those nervous affections which appear in the circulatory system) exhibit rapid changes of color in the face (flushes and pallor); hands and feet "fall asleep" on the least provocation, or are chronically cold and clammy. There are also disturbances in the centre of balance; these lead to dizziness and nausea when the child is in a rapidly moving vehicle, in a train, a swing, etc. Many children lack the power of self-control and inhibition, of concentrated attention, and are characterized by the constantly changing intensity of their work and application. They are irritable, morose, and "ugly,” these moods quickly alternating with states of happiness and a readiness to apply themselves joyfully to any task before them. These phenomena do not indicate "naughtiness," but nervous disease.

Likewise we have disturbances in the digestive apparatus (trophic disturbances) which are strictly of a nervous character, such as nervous dyspepsia. They can be cured only by reaching the nerve centres which control the alimentary system.

Illustrative Cases.-Farnell mentions the following cases, "offering such traits as lack of affection, uninterestedness in work at school, absence of desire to play, inattention, idleness, fearfulness, irritability, 'dreaminess,' and evident difficulty with the sex problem.

There is no doubt but there is an internal conflict, longings or desires that influence this type of mental aberration. This is produced without any disturbance of the will and often without the child being conscious of the source of the influence. It is not uncommon in every-day life to forget names, incidents, and so forth, also to make mistakes in reading and writing and do thoughtless acts, all of which have a direct connection with our mental trends. These are not accidental, but actual, and can be traced back to an attempt, instinctively, to forget unpleasant experiences or to complete a desire by a more ethical process."

Doctor Farnell cites a number of examples, of which a few may be here quoted.

Let me refer to a boy of 12 years (Case 47), whose father died following a stroke and whose mother is alive and well. One brother committed suicide at the age of 16 years. He was of normal birth and has never had any serious illnesses. Nothing wrong was noticed until about two years ago, when he became abnormally quiet, was easily irritated, tired out, and laughed without apparent cause. At school his teacher noticed a great change: he was "lazy," not attending to his work, and showed complete loss of interest. He had no playmates, avoided both sexes and remained entirely by himself. Occasionally he would attend a lecture at the Park Museum. A few months ago he began making peculiar movements with his hands and face, would talk to himself and pace back and forth in the yard. He told his mother that life was a burden, not worth the while, and that he thought he would end it all. His intellectual tests were correct and there were no physical disturbances. This child has apparently been unable to square himself with the difficulties in life. Let me say that a great many children may show the same set of traits as the above, and possibly you may know personally children who are seclusive, quiet, non-mixers, and so forth. But it is not that alone that completes the picture, and again I may say that these symptoms given above

may offer a warning and suggest timely care, and instruction may prevent its development.

My next case is that of a girl of 16 years (Case 48), whose parents are alive and well. One maternal aunt and several cousins were insane. She is the third in a family of five. Nothing abnormal about her birth or early infancy, except that at an early age she was considered "nervous." She began school at the age of 6 years and progressed fairly well the first three or four years. She then became what the parents called "lazy," cried a great deal and didn't seem to be able to keep her mind on her work. At 13 she passed through puberty, with its wrenching and nerve-wrecking forces. She then became nervous, seclusive, quiet, non-confiding, and at the same time somewhat inquisitive and curious. She cried almost constantly and evinced marked vasomotor disturbances, such as coldness of the hands, lividity of the arms, and so forth. She had attacks of anger and occasionally the nightmare. At school she lagged behind in her class and appeared to be further handicapped by her comparison with others and her feeling of being at a disadvantage, as indicated by her apparent intellectual weakness. Physically she evidenced entirely vasomotor phenomena. Intellectually she is inferior, but she is not feeble-minded, and there is some question as to whether or not she might be insane. At all events, there is a pronounced evidence of predementia precox. The question arises, Why her intellectual slowness? What can be done? Shall we allow her to fail and, as will undoubtedly follow, become insane?

Here the problem is squarely stated. A comparison of Farnell's cases with those quoted from the author's own records is invited. Impaired efficiency of psychological function is quite common in children. A solution of the difficulty presented may not always be ready, but a proper analysis of a child's mind is obviously the first step toward the removal of nervous symptoms. A number of cases belonging to this class. were reported to the "American Psychopathic Asso