and, therefore, the sexual impulse is more or less openly manifested. For this reason imbeciles are sources of disturbance in society. Abnormal intensity and perversion of the sexual instinct are infrequent.
The most frequent manner of satisfaction of the sexual desire is onanism. The weak-minded seldom make sexual attacks on adults of the opposite sex.
Sexual satisfaction with animals is frequently attempted. The great majority of cases of injury (sexual) to animals must be attributed to imbeciles. Children are quite often their victims.
Emminghaus (Maschka's Handb. iv., p. 234) draws attention to the frequency of open manifestation of sexual instinct, which comprises open masturbation, exhibition of the genitals, attacks on children and those of the same sex, and sodomy.
Giraud (Annal. méd. psychol., 1855, Nr. 1) has reported a whole series of immoral attacks en children:—
1. H., aged 17, imbecile, enticed a little girl into a barn, by giving her nuts. There he exposed her genitals and showed his own, making movements of coitus on the child's abdomen. He had no idea of the moral significance of the act.
2. L., aged 21; imbecile; degenerate. While he was watching cattle, his sister of eleven years, with a playmate of eight years, came and told him how some unknown man had attempted to do them violence. L. led the children to a deserted house and attempted coitus with the younger child, but let her go because no emission occurred, and because the child cried out. On the way home he promised to marry her if she would not say anything. At the trial he thought that by marriage he could right the wrong he had done.[1]
3. G., aged 21, microcephalic, imbecile, has masturbated since his sixth year, and practiced active and passive pederasty. He has repeatedly tried to perform pederasty with boys, and attacked little girls. He was absolutely without an understanding of his acts. His sexual desire was manifested periodically and intensely, as in animals.[2]- ↑ For numerous cases, v. Henke's Zeitschr., xxiii—Ergänzungsheft, p. 147.—Combes, Annal. méd. psychol., 1866.—Liman, Zweifelh. Geisteszustände, p. 389.—Casper-Liman, Lehrb., 7. Auflage, Fall 295.—Bartels, Friedreich's Blätter f. gerichtl. Med., 1890, Heft 1.
- ↑ Other cases of pederasty, v. Casper, Klin. Novellen, Fall 5; Combes, Annal. méd. psychol.
