Hannibal journal and western union. (Hannibal, Mo.) 1851-1852, 1851-09-18
From the Spirit Of the Age.
INTEMPERANOE HEREDITARY.

the effects of Alcohol upon the human system,
which have been brought to light by medical skill
and observation, there is not one, perhaps, which
has been received with so little credulity, as the
doctrine that drunkenness is hereditary--tbat il
is impaired from parents to children. BY most
persons, the idea is regarded as the offspring of
over enthusiastic minds, rather than a well at
tested TRUTH corroborsted by the evidence Of the
most celebrated physicians both Of the old and
new world. Nor is the doctrine novel one, but
comes to US sanctioned by the experience of an
tiquity. Thus Plutarch says-'One drunkard
AfgetS, .anntbe beg"-apd aristotle remarks ths,
l"drunken women bring forth children like unto
themselves" And DIR. Browne, a distinguished
9physcian Of later day, makes the following
statement: SsThe drunkard not only enfeebles
his own system, but entails mental disease upon
his family. His daughters are nervous and hys-
terical; his sons are weak, wayward, eccentric,
and sink insane under the pressure OF excitement
OF some Unforeseen exigeney, or of the ordinary
calls Of duty. This heritage may be the result
OF ruined and diseased constitution, but is much
more likely TO proceed from long continued ner-
vous excitement, in which pleasure was sought
in the alternate exultation of sentiment and OBJ
livion, which exhausted and wore out the mental
powers, and ultimately produced imbecility and
paralysis both attributable to disease of the sub
stance Of the brain.
| I1OW IdE tne nnOno!93lila OF tueDfiet} is itself
a disease, and may be more the development,
the consummation, than the commencement of
hereditary tendency TO arrangement, this is. not
the place to point out; but there is every reason
ITO believe that it not only acts upon and renders
more deleterious, whatever latent defects may
exist but vitiates or impars the sources of health
for several generations. That the effects of
drunkenness are highly inimieal TO permanent,
healthy state of the brain, is often proved at
great distance Of time from the course Of intem-
perance, and long after the adoption of regular
habits. Some time since | was called upon to
treat remarkably fine boy, about sixteen years
old among whose relations no cause Of derange-
ment could be pointed out, and for whose srddeno
smalady no causeocoud be assigned except sin-
gle glass Of spirits. His father, however, had
beena confirmed drunkard was subjected to fits
of delirium and depression, following inebriety,
aud died OF delirium tremens. The boy recover
ed His case presented many noints &c interest
His head increased rapidly, and the two hemis-
pheres were Of an equal size. The disease was
intermittent the patient passing week in inco-
herent madness, and the succeeding week in tran
quillity and consciousness. These States were
separated or connected by short profound sleep
or lethargy, differing altogether front the patients
ordinary sleep,And recognised by hinras the cul-
minating point of his disorder. At present I
ti1'C wv 1AltChss NltO dppcdi 10 IeIl-
dency to unhealthy action of the brain from
mothers addicted to drinking; and another, an
idiot, whose father was drunkard,n
% DIR. Howe, Gin his Report 10 the Legislature OF
Massachusetts on idiocy, says, the parents of
.306 idiots in the hospital are known to be habit
ual drunkards. Such parents, it is affirmed give
aweak and lax constitution to their children, who
are predispOsed by theiro very organization, to
have cravings for alcoholic stimuiantS; and DIR.
Carpenter says sucle children are especially
prone to Incorporate habits
And yet many are disposed to look on this
doctrine asoa an absurdity and say that the intem-
'perance OF. the children of drunken parents is
s6ely attributable to the example every day acted
before them. While we willingly yield that
wicked examples have diresul tendency upon
the young, we cannot why it is that the
drunkard cannot impartthis constitutional ailment
to his offspring well as any other. Children
Ipartake of the tempers, dispositions and ways of
their parents in other particulars, and why not
in this? The best medical writersoof the pres
ent day, term intemperance disease! and cam
not diseaseebe communicated The ''disease,"
says DIR. Carpenter, ''dOes not consist in othe
mere act or habit of becoming Intoxicated, but in
the irresistible impulse which drives the unhap-
Ply being TO do what he knows to be pernicious
and wrong, and which in the intervals of his
iparoxysms, he views with loathiRg and disgust.
With these facts staring them in the facet how
can heads of families tamper with thai which is
sowing the seeds Of disgrace and death in the
life blood of their own children? Verify, they
who do so in the face of ligfd and knowledge,
must have terrible account to give for the mis-
cry and ruin they msy entail upon the world
Parents! we beseech you, if you have no regard
3for yourselves spare, oh, Spare the inI6cent un-
born who are Yet to come after you, and entail
not upon them the drunkard's disease.
NEGRO Wrr.-"How much do YOU charge,
massa magistrate, cto marry me and Miss Di-
uah?"
why, Clems II marry you for two dollars. I"
Two dollars! what you charge to marry
white folks, NASSAU"
"We generally charge them FIVE dollars,
IClem.p
''Well, you marry us like white folks, and III
give you tve dollars, too"
"Why Glenn, that's curious notion, but as
; you desire it, | 69ill marry you like the white
! folks for FIVE dollars
The ceremony being over, Clem and Dinah
! being one, the magistrate asked for his fee.
! 'Oh no, masSa, YOU no come up TO de gree
: ment-y0U no Kiss de bfide!'
"Get out of my office, ysu black rascal,''
! A wise parent viii not so much as strive Il
accumulate wealth for his children as learn them
# 70 be independent Of il. (.
9 DEArH or LEvi WoopsuRY. Hon. Lew
Woodbury., one of the Judges of the Suprems
e Court of the United States aud Formerly u. s