criminal psychology-第117部分

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e　description　of　wounds　according　to　their　place；　size；　form；　and　significance；　the　statement　of　the　victim　concerning　his　feeling　at　the　moment　of　receiving　the　wound；　the　consequences　of　healing；　and　at　the　end　explanatory　observations　concerning　the　reasons　for　true　or　incorrect　sensations　of　the　victim。　As　this　work　is　to　have　only　psychological　value　it　is　indifferent　whether　the　victim　is　veracious　or　not。　What　we　want　to　know　is　what　people　say　about　their　perception。　The　true　and　the　false　will　distinguish　themselves　automatically；　the　material　being　so　rich；　and　the　object　will　be　to　compare　true　subjective　feelings　with　true　subjective　deeds。　Perhaps　it　may　even　be　possible　to　draw　generalizations　and　to　abstract　certain　rules。

There　are　many　examples　of　the　fact　that　uncontrolled　touch　leads　to　false　perceptions。　Modern　psychophysics　has　pointed　to　a　large　group　of　false　perceptions　due　to　illusions　of　pressure；　stabs；　or　other　contact　with　the　skin。　The　best　known；　and　criminalistically　most　important　experiments；　are　those　with　open　compasses。　Pressed　on　the　less　sensitive　parts　of　the　body；　the　back；　the　thigh；　etc。；　they　are　always　felt　as　one；　although　they　are　quite　far　apart。　The　experiments　of　Flournoy；　again；　show　how　difficult　it　is　to　judge　weights　which　are　not　helped　by　the　eye's　appreciation　of　their　form　and　appearance。　Ten　objects　of　various　forms　were　judged　by　fifty　　people　for　their　weight；　only　one　discovered　that　they　all　had　the　same　weight。

Similarly；　mere　touch　can　not　give　us　proper　control　over　the　organs　of　the　body。　Sully　says　that　in　bed　we　may　voluntarily　imagine　that　a　leg　has　a　position　quite　different　from　that　it　really　has。　Let　me　cite　some　similar　examples　from　my　‘‘Manual　for　Investigating　Judges。''　If　we　take　a　pea　between　the　thumb　and　the　index　finger；　we　feel　the　pea　simply；　although　its　tactile　image　comes　to　us　through　two　fingers；　i。　e。；　double。　If　now　we　cross　the　third　finger　over　the　fourth　and　hold　the　pea　between　the　ends　of　these　two　fingers；　we　feel　it　to　be　double　because　the　fingers　are　not　in　their　customary　positions　and　hence　give　double　results。　From　one　point　of　view　this　double　feeling　is　correct；　but　when　we　touch　the　pea　naturally；　experience　helps　us　to　feel　only　one　pea。　Another　example　consists　in　crossing　the　hands　and　turning　them　inward　and　upward；　so　that　the　left　fingers　turn　to　the　left　and　the　right　fingers　to　the　right。　Here　the　localization　of　the　fingers　is　totally　lost；　and　if　a　second　person　points　to　one　of　the　fingers　without　touching　it；　asking　you　to　lift　it；　you　regularly　lift　the　analogous　finger　of　the　other　hand。　This　shows　that　the　tactile　sense　is　not　in　a　very　high　stage　of　development；　since　it　needs；　when　unhelped　by　long　experience；　the　assistance　of　the　sense　of　sight。　Perceptions　through　touch　alone；　therefore；　are　of　small　importance；　inferences　are　made　on　the　basis　of　few　and　more　coarse　characteristic　impressions。

This　is　shown　by　a　youthful　game　we　used　to　play。　It　consisted　of　stretching　certain　harmless　things　under　the　tablea　soft　piece　of　dough；　a　peeled；　damp　potato　stuck　on　a　bit　of　wood；　a　wet　glove　filled　with　sand；　the　spirally　cut　rind　of　a　beet；　etc。　Whoever　got　one　of　these　objects　without　seeing　it　thought　he　was　holding　some　disgusting　thing　and　threw　it　away。　His　sense　of　touch　could　present　only　the　dampness；　the　coldness；　and　the　motion；　i。　e。；　the　coarsest　traits　of　reptilian　life；　and　the　imagination　built　these　up　into　a　reptile　and　caused　the　consequent　action。　Foolish　as　this　game　seems；　it　is　criminalistically　instructive。　It　indicates　what　unbelievable　illusions　the　sense　of　touch　is　capable　of　causing。　To　this　inadequacy　of　the　tactile　imagination　may　be　added　a　sort　of　transferability　of　certain　touch　sensations。　For　example；　if　ants　are　busy　near　my　seat　I　immediately　feel　that　ants　are　running　about　under　my　clothes；　and　if　I　see　a　wound　or　hear　it　described；　I　often　feel　pain　in　the　analogous　place　on　my　own　body。　That　this　may　lead　to　considerable　illusion　in　excitable　witnesses　is　obvious。　

Finally；　this　dependence　of　the　sense　of　touch　may　be　supplemented　by　the　fact　that　it　is　counted　only　relatively；　and　its　value　varies　with　the　individual。　We　find　the　cellar　warm　in　winter　and　cold　in　summer；　because　we　only　feel　the　difference　with　the　outer　air；　and　when　we　put　one　hand　in　hot；　and　the　other　in　cold　water；　and　then　put　both　in　tepid　water　one　finds　the　tepid　water　cold；　the　other　warm。　The　record　of　tactile　sensations　is　frequent　in　our　protocols　and　requires　constant　consideration　of　the　sense's　unreliability。

Diseased　conditions　are　of　course　to　be　referred　to　the　physician。　I　need　only　mention　that　slight　poisonings　by　means　of　chloroform；　morphine；　atropine；　daturine；　decrease；　and　that　strychnine　increases　the　sensitivity　of　the　touch　organ。


Section　102。　（5）　_Illusions　of　the　Sense　of　Taste_。

Illusions　of　taste　are　of　importance　for　us　only　in　cases　of　poisoning　in　which　we　want　the　assistance　of　the　victim；　or　desire　to　taste　the　poison　in　question　in　order　to　determine　its　nature。　That　taste　and　odor　are　particularly　difficult　to　get　any　unanimity　about　is　an　old　story；　and　it　follows　that　it　is　still　more　difficult　clearly　to　understand　possible　illusions　of　these　senses。　That　disease　can　cause　mistaken　gustatory　impressions　is　well　known。　But　precedent　poisoning　may　also　create　illusions。　Thus；　observation　shows　that　poisoning　by　rose…santonin　（that　well…known　worm　remedy　to　which　children　are　so　abnormally　sensitive）　causes　a　long…enduring；　bitter　taste；　sub…cutaneous　morphine　poisoning　causes　illusory　bitter　and　sour　tastes。　Intermittent　fevers　tend　to　cause；　when　there　is　no　attack　and　the　patient　feels　comparatively　well；　a　large　number　of　metallic；　particularly　coppery　tastes。　If　this　is　true　it　may　lead　to　unjustified　suspicions　of　poisoning；　inasmuch　as　the　phenomena　of　intermittent　fever　are　so　various　that　they　can　not　all　be　identified。

Imagination　makes　considerable　difference　here。　Taine　tells　somewhere　of　a　novelist；　who　so　graphically　described　the　poisoning　of　his　heroine　that　he　felt　the　taste　of　arsenic　and　got　indigestion。　This　may　be　possible；　for　perhaps　everybody　has　already　learned　the　great　influence　of　the　false　idea　of　the　nature　of　a　food。　If　some　salt　meat　is　taken　to　be　a　sweet　pastry；　the　taste　becomes　disgusting　because　the　imaginary　and　the　actual　tastes　seem　to　be　mixed。　The　eye　has　especial　influence；　and　the　story　cited　and　denied　a　hundred　times；　that　in　the　dark；　red　wine　and　white　wine；　chicken　and　goose；　　can　not　be　distinguished；　that　the　going　out　of　a　cigar　is　not　noted；　etc。；　is　true。　With　your　eyes　closed　it　may　be　possible　to　eat　an　onion　instead　of　an　apple。

Prior　tastes　may　cause　significant　gustatory　illusions。　Hence；　when　assertions　are　made　about　tastes；　it　is　always　necessary　to　inquire　at　the　outset　what　had　been　eaten　or　drunk　before。　Experienced　housewives　take　this　fact　into　consideration　in　setting　their　tables　and　arranging　their　wines。　The　values　of　the　wines　are　considerably　raised　by　complete　illusions　of　taste。　All　in　all；　it　must　not　be　forgotten　that　the　reliability　of　the　sense　of　taste　can　not　be　estimated　too　low。　The　illusions　are　greatest　especially　when　a　thing　has　been　tasted　with　a　preconceived　notion　of　its　taste。


Section　103。　（6）　_The　Illusions　of　the　Olfactory　Sense_。

Olfactory　illusions　are　very　rare　in　healthy　people　and　are　hence　of　small　importance。　They　are　frequent　among　the　mentally　diseased；　are　connected　in　most　cases　with　sexual　conditions　and　then　are　so　vivid　that　the　judge　can　hardly　doubt　the　need　of　calling　in　the　physician。　Certain　poisons　tend　to　debauch　the　olfactory　sense。　Strychnine；　e。　g。；　tends　to　make　it　finer；　morphine　duller。　People　with　weak　lungs　try；　in　most　cases；　to　set　their　difficulty　of　breathing　outside　themselves　and　believe　that　they　are　inhaling　poisoned　air；　coal…gas；　etc。　If　one　considers　in　this　connection　the　suspiciousness　which　many　people　suffering　from　lung　trouble　often　exhibit；　we　may　explain　many　groundless　accusations　of　attempted　murder　by　stifling　with　poisonous　or　unbreathable　gas。　If　this　typical　illusion　is　unknown　to　the　judge　he　may　find　no　reason　for　calling　in　the　physician　and　theninjustice。

The　largest　number　of　olfactory　illusions　are　due　to　imagination。　Carpenter's　frequently　cited　case　of　the　officials　who　smelled　a　corpse　while　a　coffin　was　being　dug　up；　until　finally　the　coffin　was　found　to　be　empty；　has　many　fellows。　I　once　was　making　an　examination　of　a　case　of　arson；　and　on　approaching　the　village　noted　a　characteristic　odor　which　is　spread　by　burned　animals　or　men。　When　we　learned：　that　the　consumed　farm　lay　still　an　hour's　ride　from　the　village；　the　odor　immediately　disappeared。　Again；　on　returning　home；　I　thought　I　heard　the　voice　of　a　visitor　and　immediately　smelled　her　characteristic　perfume；　but　she　had　not　been　there　that　day。

Such　illusions　are　to　be　explained　by　the　fact　that　many　odors　are　in　the　air；　that　they　are　not　very　powerfully　differentiated　and　　may　hence　be　turned　by　means　of　the　imagination　into　that　one　which　is　likely　to　be　most　obvious。

The　stories　told　of　hyper…sensitives　who　think　they　are　able　to　smell　the　pole　of　a　magnet　or　the　chemicals　melted　into　a　glass；　belong　to　this　class。　That　they　do　so　in　good　faith　may　be　assumed；　but　to　smell　through　melted　glass　is　impossible。　Hence　it　must　be　believed　that　such　people　have　really　smelled　something　somewhere　and　have　given　this　odor　this　or　that　particular　location。　Something　like　this　occurs　when　an　odor；　otherwise　found　pleasant；　suddenly　becomes　disgusting　and　unbearable　when　its　source　is　unknown。　However　gladly　a　man　may　eat　sardines　in　oil　he　is　likely　to　turn　aside　when　his　eyes　are　closed　and　an　open　can　of　sardines　is　held　under　his　nose。　Many　delicate　forms　of　cheese　emit　disgusting　odors　so　long　as　it　is　not　known　that　cheese　is　the　source。　The　odor　that　issues　from　the　hands　after　crabs　have　been　eaten　is　unbearable；　if；　however；　one　bears　in　mind　that　the　odor　is　the　odor　of　crabs；　it　becomes　not　at　all　so　unpleasant。

Association　has　much　influence。　For　a　long　time　I　disliked　to　go　to　a　ma