The influence of the ductless glands on character, and the change in the same after alterations in those glands, may easily lead to crime, as the two principal barriers against crime are will-power, by which we control our passions; and sound judgment, by which we distinguish right from wrong. It is evident that a cretinous or myxœdematous person will have no great will-power, for this, as already shown, is dependent on the thyroid secretion; nor do they possess intelligent sound judgment enough to realize what is right; and, as the possible consequences of their defective action, castrated persons, as above shown, are more attracted to crimes due to avarice or cruelty. Those who are interested in this question may read our lecture delivered before the Medical Jurisprudence Society in Philadelphia,[97] in which we endeavored to prove in detail our assertions that the origin of crime is due to nervous changes succeeding alterations of the ductless glands. As persons of advanced age often have a complete atrophy of the sexual glands, changes in their character may be explained on these grounds. Footnote 97: Journal of the American Med. Association, May 10, 1907. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CHAPTER V. ON THE INFLUENCE OF THE SEXUAL GLANDS UPON VITALITY AND LONG LIFE. WHEN we study the history of people who present a youthful appearance late in life, and reach an extraordinary old age,—up to 120 or 140, or even 160,—we are surprised at the unmistakable evidence of a strong sexual activity in most of them, which is only possible by being possessed of healthy and active sexual glands; and thus it would appear that the possession of such glands may impart a strong vitality and the best chances for a long life. That such is the case we will endeavor to show by evidence of an experimental nature, and also by facts gathered from observation of the long lives of the patriarchs. When the sexual glands of a person are extirpated, such castrated people, be it man or woman, soon get old. This we can see in the case of eunuchs who get wrinkled even in their youth, such also get fat, and present other symptoms of premature old age; and the same is observable in women whose ovaries have been removed. Matthew Paris,[98] the historian, in his description of eunuchs and the appearance of early old age, tells us that in 1253 Frederick II, Emperor of Germany, married Isabella, sister of the King of England, and he presented to his wife several Moorish slaves who were eunuchs, for servants, who looked like old masks. Pelikan[99] also mentions that the whole community of castrated Skopze in Russia, has a withered aspect; and in his book Merschejewski relates that their skin is withered and wrinkled, and that they look worn out, aged, and senile. Footnote 98: Quoted after Moebius, “Die Wirkungen der Castration,” p. 43, Halle, 1907. Footnote 99: