Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1856-01-04
MARRIAGE OF BLOOD RELATIONS

On the 9th day of the session of the
American Association for the Advance
nent of Science, held recently in Provi- |
lence, a remarkable paper was read in
he department of Natural History, by |
the Rev. Charles Brooks, of Boston,
It's tile was, Remarks on the Intermar-
riage of Blood Relations, and the Trans
mission Of Peculiar Traits" Mr.. Brooks,
in presenting his paper, remarked:
at is believed that the laws of nature
forbid the marriage of near blood relations
with each other, because the children
from such alliances are frequ ntly found
to be in a partly abnormal STATE Of body
and mind. There seems to be an arrest
of normal development. They often lack
that entire and symmetrical equilibrium
of the physical, intellectual, and moral
power which constitutes The whole man.
Yet it is true that the children of parents
who were not related do not present
normal development. How decide BY
observation, simply. If you have expe-
rience and observation, count up the chill
dren known to have been born from first
cousins, and compare with the offspring
of others who have not married near
blood relations, and l think" adds Rev.
Mr.. Brooks, "thst any man viii be con-
vineed there is a deep and durable differ
ence between them"
The learned speaker then presented a
frightful list Of examples of the pernic-
ious traits of intermarriage in families.
N. P, of W, Massachusetts,
a fine looking and intelligent man, and Of
good health, married his first cousin, a
woman likewise blessed with liberal
supply of excellent health. and of a
cheerful spirit. They were happy. But
children were born and one was clump
footed, another had but one eye, and all
of them were very weak in intellect,
small in person, and have heads shaped
like fiat iron, point turned downward.
The inhabitants of the Bahamas have
not much brains, and are as homely as
sin. Reason-they intermarry.
AT Martha's Vineyard they have a
particularly bad time. The island is sea
girt. The youths can not go accounting
elsewhere, because of the rolling pillows
and so they content themselves with Mar
thas in the Vineyard. The island in con,
sequence is, according to our author, full
of illustrations Their minds" says Mr.
Brooks, mildly, care moderate; theil
health IS feeble.
The man whom I employed on thai
island says Mr.. Brooks, married hi:
first cousin, and their parents were sec
ond cousins. Their first three children
were born without eyes, and lived but {
few hours. A very particularly unfor.
tunate case"
SIN Virginia" says Mr.. B., "whert
blood relations have married in order Il
keep the family property entire, there are
unusual numbers of imbeeile minds who
cannot manage the property that has beer
thus foolishly secured"
From Fredericksburg, Virginia, We
have these facts:
!, "A certain family of wealth and re-
speetability have ntermarried for many
generations, until there cannot be found
in three or four Of them a sound man OF
woman. One has sore eyes, another
scrofula, third is idiotic, fourth blind
a fifth bandy-legged, a sixth with heaC
about the size of turnip; with not on,
of the number exempt from some physi
cal or mental defects. Yet they perse
we're in intermarrying, although thes,
monuments are constantly before them
1T cannot be- said he, shat all thest
results are mere chance. Is it not more
probable that they are proofs of the VIC
lation Of natural laws ? The Professo,
arrived at the following conclusions:
Il. That the laws fused and misused,
which improve or deteriorate the breed.
in lower animals, are the same laws o.
nature which improve or deteriorate the
human race.
.. That an unusual number of irnbe.
Gle children, born from parents who are
first cousins, are often found in the same
family.
g. That few, if any, children, born o.
parents who are first cousins, exceed then
parents in bodily strength or mental DOW.
er, while children born of parents not re.
lated are frequently found to do So"
! OUT-DooR ExERcIsE.-It is owing
mainly to their delight in outdoor exer.