three groups: atypical, atavistic, and morbid.

[241] Hirschfeld and Burchard among 200 inverts found pronounced stigmata
of degeneration in only 16 per cent. (Hirschfeld, _Die Homosexualitaet_,
ch. xx.)

[242] Alcohol has sometimes been considered an important exciting cause of
homosexuality, and alcoholism is certainly not uncommon in the heredity of
inverts; according to Hirschfeld (_Die Homosexualitaet_, p. 386) it is well
marked in one of the parents in over 21 per cent, of cases. But it
probably has no more influence as an exciting cause in the individual
homosexual person than in the individual heterosexual person. From the
Freudian standpoint, indeed, Abraham believes (_Zeitschrift fuer
Sexualwissenschaft_, Heft 8, 1908) that even in normal persons alcohol
removes the inhibition from a latent homosexuality, and Juliusburger from
the same standpoint (_Zentralblatt fuer Psychoanalyse_, Heft 10 and 11,
1912) thinks that the alcoholic tendency is unconsciously aroused by the
homosexual impulse in order to reach its own gratification. But we may
accept Naecke's conclusions (_Allgemeine Zeitschrift fuer Psychiatrie_,
vol. lxviii, 1911, p. 852), that (1) alcohol cannot produce
homosexuality in persons not predisposed, that (2) it may arouse it in
those who are predisposed, that (3) the action of alcohol is the same
on the homosexual as the heterosexual, and that (4) alcoholism is not
common among inverts.

CHAPTER VII.

CONCLUSIONS.

The Prevention of Homosexuality--The Influence of the
School--Coeducation--The Treatment of Sexual
Inversion--Castration--Hypnotism--Associational
Therapy--Psycho-analysis--Mental and Physical Hygiene--Marriage--The
Children of Inverts--The Attitude of Society--The Horror Aroused by
Homosexuality--Justinian--The _Code Napoleon_--The State of the Law in
Europe Today--Germany--England--What Should be our Attitude toward
Homosexuality?

Having now completed the psychological analysis of the sexual invert, so
far as I have been able to study him, it only remains to speak briefly of
the attitude of society and the law. First, however, a few words as to the
medical and hygienic aspects of inversion. The preliminary question of the
prevention of homosexuality is in too vague a position at present to be
profitably discussed. So far as the really congenital invert is concerned,
prevention can have but small influence; but sound social hygiene should
render difficult the acquisition