Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1858-05-13
MARRIAGES OF CONsANGUINITY

Before the recent Medical Association, assembled
at Washington DR.. S. NJ DENIS, of Kentucky, read
an able and learned report on the " influence of
marriages of cOnsanguinity upon offspring" from
which we extract the following valuable statistical
information:
Your reporter has made great effort to ascertain
the proximate percentage Of the deaf and dumb and
blind in our asylums who are the defendants Of
blood intermsrrisges This effort has not been sue
cessful from the difficulty principals of such inst-
tutions find in gaining the requist facts. Parents
are often sensitive this score and it is delicate
matter for the principals to attempt investigations
which the friends of the benefciaries suppose to be
Unauthorized by the regulations of their various in
sttutiORs
1 feel, however, that my researches give me
thOrity to say that over ten per cent of the deaf
and dumb, and five per cent of the blind, and
near fifteen per cent Of the idiotic in State in
situations for subjects Of those defects, the Off
spring of kindred parents.
Aside from the facts which have gained by cor
responding with gentlemen who have given close at
tenJion to these points, curious but perfectly
legitimate process of computation confirms me in
the opinion that those estimates very nearly
correct. The classes C, D. E, F, G. gives 1877 marri-
ages of cousins, GAG of which have given issue to
deaf aud dumb, blind, idietic, or insane children.
Admitting the same ratio to prevail, the Ohio re-
port, which contains l57 marriages of cousins, fol-
lowed by deaf and dumb, blind, idiotic, or insane
offspring, would indicate the existence Of 1872 other
marriages of cousins in the same population not
followed by suce defects The counties which fur
nish this Isl marriages, above, and supposed
comprise in their limits 332 unreported marriages,
making total of 48S, contained in 1850 a popus
ton of 1928 23S. If the same ratio be supposed
to exist throughout the Union there would be found
TO the twenty millions Of white inhabitants six
thousand three hundred and twenty one marriages
Of cousins, giving birth to 5000 deaf and dumb,
lind md oh ufad
follows:
Deaf and dumb ..... 1l6
BlInd..' 64o
Iulotlc .'....l ,oo4
lhsaue'''.'''. 20
Then, if the figures Of the last United States CEN
sus still applied to population, there would
be found in the Union
9,l36 deaf and dumb, of whom 1,116, or Il 8 per
cent, are children Of cousins.
1878 blind, of whom 648, or 08.1 per cent, and
children of cousins
l4,257 idotio, of whom 1874, OF IL SO per cent,
are children Of cousins
l4,972 insane OfvhOm 299, or OIL g per cent, are
children of cousins
I invite the attention of gentlemen of this as
sOoiatOn to this calculation Of probabilities either
to cOufute or confirm by any facts in their posses
sion.
A very cursOry examination Of the tables of my
report will suffice to show that PaTi passu with the
increment of the same blood the sum Of defects of
offspring is likewise increased. Glasses D aud G
present exceptions to this rule. As it ards D,
the supposed reason for this dviatiOn has been al
ready stated, namely: that its mortality list is
large; while class presents so few observations
as to satisfy that they attracted notice solely be-
cause Of their unfsvOrabls results
A PICTURE TRUE TO NATUEE-The following graph
ic description Of " good fellow" " on BENDER is
true to nature that cannot refrain from giving
it place in our columns. Who has not seen many
similar amusing or INTERCHANGEABLE exhibition
We think we saw Thos Maize, Esq on our streets
yesterday with neighbOr of the Banner following
him. We make the extract from the Philadelphia |
Evening Journal:
The eocentricities of genius are wonderful. We |
saw yesterday individual who afforded living |
disqualification, Of the fact. BE was preparing |
for the holiday, and to use the words of certain
contemporary, was on a grand sublime bust Fearful |
were the efforts Of ThOs Maize to enjoy himself |
Ever and anon, over his illustriOus head, did he /
flourish bag ofgold, small bag, and then he ask
ed everybody up to drink which everybody did, and
fell back to allow everybody else to up and do
likewise Everybody else invited their friends, and
Thomas Maize Esq, Whirled the little bag Of gold
and produced the 'tn, and paid the expense in the
most cheerful manner. Every voice proclaimed him
good fellow, and so Of course he was for ct 10 p.
m, We saw him generously and muDiheently spilling
himself mscelsneously about the streets and alleys
and we are perfectly satisfied that if he had not
been a very "gOod fellow" he would not have done
SO.
We saw him at II o'clock p m, and somebody
had stolen his new boots and given him an old pair
Of pumps Under the influence of two glasses of So
ds water he had slightuslly recovered. At II he
had Telapse-he was on Q sublime drunk. Every
body was present, iu company with every body else,
and a number Of invited guests. Thos. Maize,
Esq, still hOurished his bsg-noW considerably re-
duced-and every now and then the whole crowd
walked up and took sugar in thsir'n.
We saw him after that,
He had knky hat
On his head
His pumps worn away,
And his pocket seemed 10 say
"Narry red"