The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1865-07-15
Marriage Between Blood Rela-
tiOnS. so.-gi-

From the Paris correspondent of the New
York Commercial Advertiser we extract the
following:
Among the popular errors, the fallacy of
which varied and extended travels have con-
WINGED me few are more generally admitted
than the belief that ''long continuance of iu-
terInarriage between blood relations deterio-
ates the race" have often been enabled to
observe the contrary. In Africa, where, ow-
ing 10 old prejudices, certain families constant
~ intermarry among themselves, and the race
which springs from these alliances is in no
way inferior to others. In Virginia / re-
marked that in certain counties where single
family owns the greater part of the soil, all
the inhabitants have the same name and are
cousins. | never saw a finer race. In certain
villages in Tartary | saw the same thing, but
without being able to perceive the least differ
ence between the offspring of such alliance
and the population of the other villages.
Nevertheless, it is an universal belief that al
hances of this kind necessarily engender be-
ings afflicted with some vice of conformation
or with degeneracy, among which are mad
ness, epilepsy, idiocy and Cretinism, deafness,
dumbness, blindness, the whiteness of the
Albinos. sterlty, &c.-for there are no evil
consequences which have not been imputed
to the influence of con a gaineous marriage
In the interest of truth. and in the more I'M
mediate tranquility of mind of families united
by consanguinity, too many facts cannot be
brought to prove how unfounded are the
preludiees which research, apparently seien-
uiie, have recently strengthened, because
writers who lack the true spirit of criticism
have too willingly echoed them Guided by
the wish to correct these errors, had com
piled the material necessary for the publica-
ton OF memoir upon this important ques-
ton, when was agreeably surprised by see
ing a notice of Mr. Augusta Volsin's work in
the weekly compile reldu Of the Academy of
Science.
The author passed month last year in the
Burrough of Batz Flower Noirel, .'the inhab-
ants Of which, he states, .'have for several
centuries past, been in the habit Of contract
ing eonsanguineous marriages, and live almost
isolated from the surrounding foundations.
intercourse with whom they seem to despise =
lie has examined the result of the marriages
between blood relations which are at present
TO be found there, forty-six in number. The
antecedents of the husband and wife have
been examined into they have been them
selves questioned al well as their children
and examined intellectually and physically.
Mr.. Volsin has, beside, sought information
from the Mayor, the curate aud the elders of
the country. From all this he has drawn MP
statistics, the principal results of which are as
follows:
Out of forty-six households of the borough
at BATE, who are united by ties of blood, FIVE
are composed of second cousins, thirty are
between the offspring of second cousins. and
ten between cousins of the fourth degree
The FIVE marriages between second cousins
have produced twenty three children, ofwhom
none were intirm or malformed at their birth;
two died of sickness. The ,hirtv-one MARRIAGES
between the issues of second Cousins have
probe d hundred and thirty children none
OF whom have any inhrlnity or congenital af-
lection; twenty-four have died of acute dis
eases The ten marriages between cousins of
the ienrth remove have gwen twentv-nine
Children, three OF whom have died Of acute
diseases: the others are all we'll The health
OF the fathers and mothers of these married
couples, says ii. Volsin, is good. and exernpt
from all chronic maladies; that also of the
lndfyldnais themselves, and of their children
Is excellent They are generally tall and the
conaEaration OF the head with most OF them.
corresponds to uniform type.
Gut OF the forty SIX couple thus studied
only two are sterile, while the bride and bride
groom are relatives Of the third degree. The
forty tive others have produced in all a hum
dred and seventy four children, out of whom
twenty-nine are dead.
70 FsttthtuS iaCte result rom THESE flrurpS.
the fertility Of marriages between the blood
reiaaTes of the borough of Batz is greater
than the average fertility Of marriag 5 in
France and the mortality of the childTan is
relatively less
a. foisin sums up his observations that
conSangnineous marriages, in the borough,
have produced no maladies. no deceneracy
and no malformations and in spite of its
singular custom the race has remained very
hne and very pure. This should not surprise
us; on the contrary, Il think" saws the an
thor, that this result is attributable to the
exceptional typographical condition Of the
country aud It's climate, to hygiene. to habits.
to the morality OF the inhabitants and the alb,
senee of all morbid inheritance.
From all these facts, N. volsin concludes
that under the said conditions of good Sc.
lection consanguinity does not seriously affect
the offspring and race, but. on the contrary
improves Its good qualities" This conclusion
comprises that which NJ. Samson had laid
down in these terms. and the correa,n ,.,le
of which is corroborated by nv own obseryas
tons.
eonsanenlnlty raises the hereditary off
spring 10 It's highest Development