criminal psychology-第102章

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s　secrecy　is　maintained　for　a　long　time　during　pregnancy；　at　least　toward　children　and　the　younger　people。　Nor　can　it　be　denied　that　the　custom　which　demands　more　self…control　in　women　must　exercise　a　formative　influence　on　their　natures。　Our　views　do　not　permit　the　woman　to　show　without　great　indirection　whom　she　hates　or　whom　she　likes；　nor　may　she　indicate　clearly　whom　she　loves；　nor　must　she　appear　solicitous。　Everything　must　happen　indirectly；　secretly；　and　approximately；　and　if　this　need　is　inherited　for　centuries；　it　must；　as　a　characteristic；　impart　a　definite　expression　to　the　sex。　This　expression　is　of　great　importance　to　the　criminalist；　it　is　often　enough　to　recall　these　circumstances　in　order　to　find　explanation　for　a　whole　series　of　phenomena。　What　differences　the　modern　point　of　view　and　modern　tendencies　will　make　remains　to　be　seen。　Let　us　now　consider　particular　characteristics。


Section　66。　（b）　Menstruation。

We　men；　in　our　own　life；　have　no　analogy；　not　even　a　remote　one；　to　this　essentially　feminine　process。　In　the　mental　life　of　woman　it　is　of　greater　importance　than　we　are　accustomed　to　suppose。　In　　most　cases　in　which　it　may　be　felt　that　the　fact　of　menstruation　influences　a　crime　or　a　statement　of　facts；　it　will　be　necessary　to　make　use　of　the　court　physician；　who　must　report　to　the　judge。　The　latter　absolutely　must　understand　the　fact　and　influence　of　menstruation。　Of　course　he　must　also　have　general　knowledge　of　the　whole　matter；　but　he　must　require　the　court　physician　definitely　to　tell　him　when　the　event　began　and　whether　any　diseased　conditions　were　apparent。　Then　it　is　the　business　of　the　judge　to　interpret　the　physician's　report　psychologicallyand　the　judge　knows　neither　more　nor　less　psychology；　according　to　his　training；　than　the　physician。　Any　text…book　on　physiology　will　give　the　important　facts　about　menstruation。　It　is　important　for　us　to　know　that　menses　begin；　in　our　climate；　from　the　thirteenth　to　the　fifteenth　year；　and　end　between　the　forty…fifth　and　the　fiftieth　year。　The　periods　are　normally　a　solar　monthfrom　twenty…seven　to　twenty…eight　days；　and　the　menstruation　lasts　from　three　to　five　days。　After　its　conclusion　the　sexual　impulse；　even　in　otherwise　frigid　women；　is　in　most　cases　intensified。　It　is　important；　moreover；　to　note　the　fact　that　most　women；　during　their　periods；　show　a　not　insignificant　alteration　of　their　mental　lives；　often　exhibiting　states　of　mind　that　are　otherwise　foreign　to　them。

As　in　many　cases　it　is　impossible　without　other　justification　to　ask　whether　menses　have　begun；　it　is　worth　while　knowing　that　most　women　menstruate；　according　to　some　authorities；　during　the　first　quarter　of　the　moon；　and　that　only　a　few　menstruate　during　the　new　or　full　moon。　The　facts　are　very　questionable；　but　we　have　no　other　cues　for　determining　that　menstruation　is　taking　place。　Either　the　popularly　credited　signs　of　it　（e。　g。；　a　particular　appearance；　a　significant　shining　of　the　eyes；　bad　odor　from　the　mouth；　or　susceptibility　to　perspiration）　are　unreliable；　or　there　are　such　signs　as　feeling　unwell；　tension　in　the　back；　fatigue　in　the　bones；　etc。；　which　are　much　more　simply　and　better　discovered　by　direct　interrogation；　or　examination　by　a　physician。

If　there　is　any　suspicion　that　menstruation　has　influenced　testimony　or　a　crime；　and　if　the　other；　especially　the　above…mentioned　facts；　are　not　against　it；　we　are　called　upon　to　decide　whether　we　are　considering　a　mental　event；　due　to　the　influence　of　menstruation。　Icard＇1＇　has　written　the　best　monograph　on　this　subject。


＇1＇　Icard：　La　Femme　dans　la　Periode　Menstruelle。　Paris　1890。


Considering　the　matter　in　detail；　our　attention　is　first　called　to　the　importance　of　the　beginning　of　menstruation。　Never　is　a　girl　　more　tender　or　quiet；　never　more　spiritual　and　attractive；　nor　more　inclined　to　good　sense；　than　in　the　beginning　of　puberty；　generally　a　little　before　the　menstrual　periods　have　begun；　or　have　become　properly　ordered。　At　this　time；　then；　the　danger　that　the　young　girl　may　commit　a　crime　is　very　small；　perhaps　smaller　then　at　any　other　time。　And　hence；　it　is　the　more　to　be　feared　that　such　a　creature　may　become　the　victim　of　the　passions　of　a　rou