Brookville American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1858-1861, 1858-06-25
Marriages Of Consanguinity.

which was in session recently at Wash
ington City, a very able report was sub
mitted by DIR. s. NJ. Bcmis, of Kentucky
upon the influences of marriages Of con-
sanguinity upon offspring. DIR. Bomis,
after making some preliminary obser-
vations upon the Importance of the sub
ject in its bearings upon. the welfare of
society, goes on to state
Your reporter has made great efforts
to ascertain the proximate per centage
of the deaf and dumb and blind, in our
asylums, who are the defendants OF
blood inter marriages. This effort has
not been successful from tho difficulty
principals Of such Institutions find in
gaining the requisite facts. Parents are
oflen sensitive on this score; and it is a
delicate matter for principals to attempt
Investigations which the friends of the
beneficiarics suppose TO be unauthori-
zed 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 idiotc in
our State institutions for subjects of
the effects, are the offspring OF kindred
parents.
Aside from the facts which have
gained by corresponding with gentle
men who have given close attention to
these points, curious but perfectly le-
gtmate process Of computation con.
firms me in the opinion that those esti-
mates are very nearly correct. Five
classes in the schedules prepared give
7S7 marriages Of cQtsi Giii qft'y yhisii
hase -gfcthf fssde 10 "a hf Il
blind idiotic, or insane chffdren.
Admitting the same ratio to prevail
the Ohio report, which contains liz
marriages of cousins, followed by deal
and dumb, blind and idiotic, or insane
offspring, would indicate the existence
Of 1872 other marriages Of cousins in
tho same population not followed by
such defects. The counties which fur,
nish this 15l marriages as above, and
are supposed to comprise in their limits
332 unrep. p.rted marriages, making to-
tai of 4S3, contained in 1850 n popula
tion of l,52S,23S. II the same ratio b,
supposed to exist throughout the Unior
there would be found 10 the twenty mil
lions of white inhabitants, six thousand
three hundred and twenty-one maria
ges of cousins, giving birth to 3,90s
deaf and dumb, blind, idiotic and in
sane children, distributed rs follows -
Deaf and dumb l,ll6, blind 64s, idotiC
1854, insane 299. Then, If the figures
of the last United States eensusstill ap
piled TO our popuI5top there ~oulC
now be found in the Union
9l36 deaf and dumb Of whom 1,l16
or 1913 per cent. are children Of cousins
1878 blind, Of whom CAS-, or Sol pei
cent. are children of cousins.
14,247 idiotic, of whom 1874, or l.2!
per cent. are children of cousins.
1872 insane, Of whom 299, or OIL!
per cent. are children Of cousins.
1t may be well worth the attention o
| the medical men OF the country to tcs
this calculation Of probabilities, and I,
4 either confirm or confuto il by any ad
ditional facts which may come unde
their congnizance. The estimate is on
full of grave import, and ought to ar
rest The attention of the community q
large. Though in America the dspo
sition TO form such ill-assorted ALLAN
ccs has never been manifested to tn
same extent as among the aristocrac.
of tho old world, where il is notoriou
that owing to marriages. Of blood rela
T tions, the offspring OF certain families Z
rank have sadly degenerated in point q
mental strength.