The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1858-05-27

From the Philadelphia Press
In the National Medical Association
which adjourned las, week at Wash.
| ington City, very able report was sub
mittcd by Dr. $. NJ. Bemis, of Kentucky
| upon the influences Of marriages of consan
! quinity upon offspring. DR. Bemis after
making some preliminary observations upon
the importance Of the subject in it, bearings
upon the welfare Of society, goes on TO st ate:
Your reporter has made great efforts to
ascertain the proXimate percentage OF the
deaf and dumb aud blind. in our asylums
who are the descenan's Of blood internar.
riages. This effort has not been successful
from the greet difficulty principals find in
gaining the requisite facts Parents are Of
ten sensitive oD this score and il ia deli
cate matter for principals TO attempt in.
yes,igation. which the friends Of the bcnet-
ciarles suppose TO be unauthorized by the
regulations Of their various institutions.
feel, however that my researches give
me authority TO say that over ten per cent.
Of the deaf and dumb ,'and over FIVE per cent
of the blind and nearly fifteen per cent Of
the idiotic in our State Institutions for sub.
jects Of these effects, are the offspring Of
kindred parents.
Aside from the facts which have gained
by corresponding with gentlemen who have
given close attention 10 these points, curl
ons but perfectly legitimate process. Of com
putation confirms me in TIE opinion that
these estimates are very nearly correct
Five classer 10 the schedules prepared give
- mo pt a,,,Btnn -, l..
given issue to deaf aud dumb, blind, ido,ic
or insane children.
Admitting the same ratio 10 prevail the
Ohio report, which contains Isl rnarriag.s
Of cousins, followed by deaf and dumb, blind.
idiotic or insane offspring. would indicate
the existence Of 332 other marriages of
COUSINS 10 the same population not followed
by such defects. The counties which fur.
Dish these Is, marriages, az above and are
supposed % comprise IN 'beir limit 1892
nnreported marriages, making total OF l-3,
contained in l-J0 population al | ,j2@ ,23- +.
If the same ratio b. supposed 10 exist
throughout the Union, there would be found
to the twenty millions Of white inhabitants
six thousand three handred ard 'wcBty one
marriages u cousins, giving birth % 1909
deaf and dumb, bind. idloti. anl insane
children. distributed as follows:
Dea a.a damb mb....................... lie
p.'i- '''''''.' .....--.... .tt...-.. ..'s1
5''"NS ..-'''--. .-..,......... .i.~tt
ih.4Ee ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. .... ~
lhen, II the figures Of III. at United
states csnsns still applied 10 our population
thrre wouid now be fonni in the mon;
"9l35 dfaf and dumb, O! whom l.llG.o-
2 per cent, are chilJrn O. coufns.
i9I. blind, Of whom Gi-. Or OsI rer
cent. are children of cousins
li2j7 dioiic. Of whom -li, Or 100
pr cent. ar. children of Cousins.
1872 in.ane. II whom 2gJ or 0.l9 gser
cent are chiir-u u cousins"
II may wei b. worth the attention Of the
medical men nf the cogs'ry TO test This cal
c1iation Of ysotabili,ise. aad n either 20.
firm or c1uig,e /, hy an additional facts
which may come u1Ier ,Hel: cDgHzance.
Tie e.'Ima,e IL Qua fg,l q grave import.
sad o1gh, 10 arrest the a;taal0n o! the
cJDmHni'y ~ large TnH.a % America,
IT, deposition 70 form sqrl d a.a9r'ar! aI.i-