Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1855-11-03
INTERMARRIAGE OF BLOOD RELATIONS
PUNISHED By NATURE.

INTERMARRIAGE OF BLOOD RELATIONS
PUNISHED By NATURE.
From the proceedings Of the American Associa-
ton for the advancement of Science, (ffth day.
at Providence, Rhode Island, we find that among
other papers read before that body, one has been
OF Blood Relations" from an abstract of which
in the papers We take the following:
INTEkMARRIAGE OF BLOOD RELATIONS.
May man marry his cousin? Apparently not,
in view of the terrible consequences which are
to follow.
One of the remarkable papers read in the de-
partment of Natural History presented by
Rev. Charles Brooks, of Boston, to-day. Its title
was, ''Remarks the Intermarriage of Blood
Relations, and the transmission of peculiar
traits"
1t is a curious subject of investigation, and as
it is introduced at scientific meeting, it ought to
be important. docs that NECESSARILY follOw?)
If you can spare half column, that amount of
space NAV not be altogether wasted; for this is a
question much debated.
1t is purely, said Mr.. Brooks, a question of
physiological science. Is the marriage of near
blood relations accordant with or opposed to the
laws of nature? According to this authority, ma
ture fOrbids it. And why?
1t is believed that the laws of nature forbid the
marriage of near blood relations with each other,
because the children from such alliances are fire.
quently found to be in partly abnormal state Of
mind or body. There seems to be an arrest of
normal deyelopement. They often lack that en-
tire and symmetrical equilibrium Of the physical,
intellectual and moral powers which constitute
the whole Yet it is true that the children of
parents who were not related, do not present a
normal developement. How decide? BY obser-
walton simply. If you count up the children
known to have been born from first cousins, and
compare them with the offspring of others who have
not married near blood relations, and | think,
adds Rev. Mr.. Woods, that any man will be con-
WINGED there is a deep and durable difference be-
tween them.
WHAT THE LAWS SAY.
The Roman Catholic Church, by positive COM
mand, forbds each one Of its members marrying
a first cousin.
FRIGHTFUL EXAMPLES.
Examples were cited. Young gentlemen smit-
ten with pretty cousins may preserve them in their
scrap-books.
Mp, W, Massachusetts,, fine looking
and intelligent man, and of good health, married
his first cousin, a woman likewise blessed with a
liberal supply of excellent health, and of cheerful
spirit. They were happy. But children were
born; and one was c,ump- footed, another had but
one eye, and all of them are very weak in intel
lect, small in person, and have been shaped like a
fat iron, point turned downward.
Inhabitants Of the Bahamas havn't much brains,
and as homely as sin. Reason-they intermarry.
BAD TINES.
At Martha's Vineyard they have particularly
bad time. The island is sea grit. The youths
cannot 90 a courtiug elsewhere, because of the
rolling pillows, and so they content themselves
with Marthas in the Vineyard. The island in
consequence is, according to author, g full of
illustrations" " Their minds" says Mr.. Brooks.
mildly, s. are temperate" Their health is feeble
AN ESPECIALLY HARD CASE.
''The man whom employed in that island"
saws Mr.. Brooks, g married his first cousin, and
their parents wers second cousins. Their first
three children were born without eyes and lived
but few hours. very particularly unfortu-
nate case.
In Virginia, the F. +. V.'s do not by any means
escape.
'.In Virginia. saws Mr.. B.. sswhere blood re-
lations have married in order to keep the family
property entire, there are unusual numbers Of i'm
beetle minds, who cannot manage the property
that has been thus foolIshly secured"
From Fredercksburgh, Va, we have these
facts:
"A certain family of wealth and responsibility
have intermarred for many generations, until
there cannot be found in three or four Of them
sound man or woman. One has sore eyes, another
scrofula, a third is idle, fourth blind, fifth
bandy-lcgged, sixth with head about the size
of turnip; with not one out of the number
empt from some physical or mental defects. Yet
they perseverc in intermarrying, although these
monuments are constantly before them"
1t cannot be that all these results are mere
chance. Is it not more probable that they are
proofs Of the violation of natural laws?
CONCLUSIONS
|. That the laws fused AM msused) which inn
prove or deteriorate the breeds in lower animals,
are the same laws of nature which improve or de-
teriorate abe human race.
2. That an unusual number of imbecile chill
dren, born from parents who are first cousins, are
found in the same family.
3. That few if any children, born of parents
who are first cousins, exceed their parents in bod
lily strength mental power, while children who
are born of parents not related, are frequently
found to do so.