The Delinquent, Vol. IV, No. 6, June, 1914

Entered as second-class mail matter at New York.
By Edith R. Spaulding, M. D.
That a better knowledge of the mental and physical characteristics of the prostitute herself could be obtained, and the causes as well as the results of her life be understood, the following study was undertaken. 240 women who have recently been inmates at the Massachusetts Reformatory for Women have been studied. All cases were included in which at any time there had been a history of commercialized promiscuous sex immorality. Only those cases were discarded in which the physical examination was incomplete, if the history obtained gave no evidence of disease.
A study such as this does not aim to discover the fundamental physical or mental causes of prostitution as a social problem in the community. Such a problem is too involved to be considered from this limited standpoint. Recognizing, however, the fact that there is the demand in society, this aims to show the types of women from whom the supply is obtained and the benefits which may be derived for the community by further study and treatment of such types.
Two hundred and five of the cases studied have received a psychological examination. This has included the history of their educational advantages and a study of the results obtained, as well as psychological tests which estimate native ability aside from formal educational training. In all doubtful cases, or in cases in which there appeared to be mental defect, the Binet-Simon tests have also been used. As a result of these examinations the cases have been roughly classified as follows:
Besides the cases showing mental defect alone, there are many cases both among the mentally defective and those showing normal mentality, which show other mental or nervous defects, such as epilepsy, hysteria and psychopathic tendencies. In the study of criminality of all kinds, such abnormal mental and nervous conditions play an important part. This is especially true of the class of women which is arrested on account of sex offences. In the environment of mill towns and certain sections of large cities, from which a large part of this population comes, the temptations which appeal to sex are tremendous, even to the individual who has a normal mentality and is well balanced. If through such conditions as slight mental dullness or extreme nervousness, the equilibrium is disturbed, the power of resistance is lost and the individual is unable to cope with the temptations which are usually about her.