[671] Cf. also Alfred Fuchs, “Therapeutics of the Abnormal Sexual Life in Men” (Stuttgart, 1899).
[672] In such cases music, more especially the more emotional music of Wagner, must be employed only with great care.
Supplementary Note.—With regard to offences against morality, see the comprehensive work by Mittermaier, “Crimes and Offences against Morality” (Berlin, 1906) (gives a comparative description of the legislation of various countries). See also J. Werthauer, “Offences against Morality in Large Towns” (Berlin, 1907).
CHAPTER XXIV
OFFENCES AGAINST MORALITY FROM THE FORENSIC STANDPOINT.
“In view of the peculiar character of sexually perverse acts, or rather in view of the widely diffused interest in sexual questions and of the hypocrisy which seems inseparable from their consideration, it is easily comprehensible how to these acts there is commonly ascribed a forensic importance greater than that which properly attaches to them. And it is precisely this hypocrisy with which all questions connected with sexuality are treated on the public platform, which hinders a natural mode of regarding them, and renders so difficult an unprejudiced judgment regarding all the relevant facts.”—J. Salgó.
CONTENTS OF CHAPTER XXIV
Importance of sexual perversions to the State and to society — Exaggerated views regarding their injurious influence — One-sided condemnation of them from the forensic-psychiatric standpoint — Their wide diffusion among healthy individuals — Protection against real injury to public and private interests from sexual offences — Their frequency among diseased persons — The idea of degeneration — Congenital taint and the stigmata of degeneration — Significance of these stigmata — Social causes of degeneration — Significance of tattooing — § 51 of the Criminal Code — The idea of “diminished responsibility” — Characterization of sexual emotions — Other factors lessening responsibility (menstruation, etc.) — Points of view in the punishment of acts of fornication with persons under age — Value of the evidence of children in the law-courts — The age of consent — The condemnation and punishment of sexual offences.