CESARE LOMBROSO
Cesare Lombroso, the scientist, who at one time expressed his agreement with Zionism, died at his home in Turin, Italy, on Tuesday, October 19th. Lombroso was born in 1835 of distinguished Jewish parents. On his father's side, he was descended from a family of rabbis and Hebraists. His maternal ancestors were
chiefly Piedmontese bankers and manufacturers. He studied medicine at Padua, Paris and Vienna, and served in the Austro-Italian war. He first taught at the- University of Padua and was then transferred to the University of Turin. He
contributed valuable investigations to the science of criminal antropology, in which his researches tended to show that criminals are born rather than made. He also wrote on the close relation of genius and insanity, and of late years became interested in psychic phenomena.
He did a great deal in Italy for the stay of the dread disease, pellagra, and was of great service in the study of the insane. For the past fifteen years he was an ardent socialist, and took up, with remarkable keenness for an old man, any new idea which could be of service to humanity. He was a facile and productive writer, but often committed the mistake of exaggerating his conclusions, owing to his enthusiasm for any cause in which he was interested.
his work in criminology led the way to radical improvements in penal methods. The idea that criminals were not essentially responsible, and that they were in a way, sick people, led to more human treatment of all classes of criminals.
In appearance, he was a diminutive, very stout man with a stiff, projecting bit of chin beard. He had a very long waist and very short legs. This gave him the effect in walking of pushing over the grounds. He took small steps and was always an abstracted, far-away visionary.
Lombroso was for some time interested in Zionism, and expressed his approval of the movement in a cordial message sent to one of the Congresses held in Basle. He greatly appreciated the Hebrew language and literature, in which he was very proficient.