s and sexual perversion; giving rise to the most
tragic scenes of human life, and to the degeneration of families.

A very charming and intelligent, but deceitful man, an amoral
person whose heredity was strongly tainted with mental disease,
had strong sexual instincts partly inverted. He was attracted
rather more by men than by women, but committed excesses with
both sexes. He married a virtuous and intelligent midwife. At
long intervals he had three attacks of acute mania, but was
cured after each attack and procreated two boys and a girl. When
he was sane he spent his time in deceitful occupations and
speculation and never worked honestly to earn his living. He
behaved well toward his wife, but this did not prevent him
committing pederasty with men. He was often convicted for
pederasty and swindling, and I treated him several times in an
asylum. His poor wife complained bitterly, but found consolation
in her husband's apparent love, but especially in the careful
education of her children. But when the children grew up, her
illusions disappeared one after another. The daughter became
feeble-minded, and one of the sons became a bad character. The
mother consoled herself with the second son who appeared honest
and hard-working. The father was then in an asylum, his relapses
having led the tribunal to institute an inquiry into his mental
condition. One day the mother came to me in despair and showed
me a letter written by the son of the father, which she had
opened; the contents were as follows: "Miserable father, when
you receive this letter I shall be no longer in this world; but
before dying I wish to curse you. You have been the disgrace of
the family. You have caused misery to our mother and her
children by your crimes. Why did you bring me into this world?
For a long time I have felt evil instincts developing in me like
a cursed heritage. I struggle in vain against them; but the more
I struggle the more I feel I must succumb. I am incapable of
resisting much longer; but I will not become a criminal like
you, so I shall hang myself to-night, and I curse you again
before doing it."

The unfortunate son did in fact commit suicide, and drove his
mother to despair. I showed the father his son's letter, but he
only smiled and shrugged his shoulders.

The following is another