Note 33 — III. GENERAL PATHOLOGY.[28]

The translator has lately seen a case of this kind that illustrates the lack of care taken by our criminal courts. A very infirm man, aged 55 to 60, under favoring circumstances, made an unsuccessful sexual assault on a girl aged about 18. At his trial he made full confession, and explained his act as due to ordinary sinfulness. He was the father of a family and living with his wife, and up to that time blameless sexually. He was sentenced to five years of hard labor! He was incapable of almost the lightest work. Conversation with him while in jail showed at once that he was well advanced in senile dementia. Legal question concerning his mental condition was not raised,—because he confessed, probably!