The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1869-11-03
Physical Advantages Of the Jews.

| Gazette. - =
/ M. ,Legoyt terminates with the fol-
lowing conclusions an elaborate paper
which he recently read at the Paris
Statistical Society, on "Certain Biosat-
ic lmmunities of the Jewish Race in
Europe:" "a 81
''The facts which ore here collected,
and which are nearly all derived from
official sources, are almost unanimous
III dem n stratiDg that the Jewish race
Is distinguished from the other Euro
pean races in a biosatic point Of view,
by the following phenOmena: Il. Its
general fecnndity is less. 2. SO is it,
at least as general rule, with regard
to its legitimate tecundity. 3. 1t is es-
pecially so in relation to its natural or,
Illegitimate fecnndify. a. In an equal
number OF births, there are fewer chill
dren born dead, which indicates that
the Jewish woman passes through her
period of CESSATION more farorably
than the Christian woman. 5. But the
most remarkable privilege Of the Jew
is, without contradiction, their relative
low mortality, and that even when
they are members of the lowest classes
of society. This lesser mortality is
not land we cannot too much insist on
| this point) the natural consequence of
lesser fecundity, as, with an equal
number of births, they count fewer
deaths, and that by calculating on
! Halley's method-that is, in surprising
the births equal to the deaths taking
place at the same ages)-it is found
that they have IL mean aud probable
life which is longer than that of the
antocthonic races. 1t would not be
correct to say that this difference in
mortality is due to the large relative
preponderance of adults, since in Prus-
STA, which is the only country in which
this portion of the population has been
enumerated by age, there is found to
be a greater number of children in it
than in the Catholic and Evangelical
population. 6. We have, moreover,
seen that. as consequence of this
characteristic physical aptitude, the
Jewish race becomes acclimated every
where, and propagates itself under
every latitude. 4. Finally, we have
shown that the Jews are possessed of
a special aptitude enabling them to
struggle against imperfect media, and
protecting them against contagious
diseases. sy,.
After discussing the various explain
atiOns of these immunities offered by
different observers, Mr.. Legoyt states
that he believes the greater longevity
of this race may be explained by the
following considerations ISL 9fgF1
~. The Jews married earlier than
the Christians, and that derive at an
early age the advantages which statist-
les show are incidental to the married
state. Still, from their we'll known
prudence and circumspection, it is not
to be supposed that they enter upon
this until prepared to meet it's exigen-
cies. Among them hasty and rash
marriages, which are alike hurtful to
the health of parents and children, are
rare s''t tf'
'.2. The fecundity being less, they
can pay much more attention to the
preservation of their children.
"3. By reason of the small number
ofillegitimate children they hive, they
escape the exceptional mortality which
sweeps away such children.
"a. The Jew does not pursue any
calling which demands very hard Ia
Dor. He is neither an agricnlturist, Il
lahorer, mechanic, sailor nor miner
Before all things he is the shopkeeper,
merchant, banker, artist, sarant, man
of letters of public functionary.
"5. The Mosaic law contains ordi- |
nances which, being purely hyglenic,
must exercise a favorable influence on
the health-e. g.. the verification of the
condition of slaughtered animals, the
frequency of ablutinn, the practice of
and the periodical sepa-
ration of the wife from the husband.
1 g"6. The strength of the family feel
ing among the Jews. 1t is only when
it Is absolutely impossible, and without
distinction of rank, that q Jewish wo
man does not suckle her child. The
children, too, are the objects of inces-
SAINT and the most vigilant care, which
indeed is returned by the respect and
solicitude which these manifest for
their parents, especially when aged or
intirm. This is probably one cause of
the rarity of suicide among the, Jews.
~. The sobriety of the Jews is in-
contestible.
SO. Throughout the entire Jewish
community, warm feeling of charity /
for the INDECENT and miserable prevails.
SO. The religious Jew is remarkable
for his, serenity of mind and his deep
sealed faith in Providence and the high
destinies of his race. The constancv,
the perennite. of the Jewish tempera-
ment, is well reflected in his religions
faith, which has remained simmovable
for so many years. l3s,a1 esriatogs
.sThe morality of the Jews, as de-
dnced from criminal statistics, seems
10 be- read, and is only an indication of
those regular habits of life which ex-
ercise so great an influence on the du-
ration of life" Il. sg...s
I KISSING THE BABY.--It was once the lot
of the writer to dwell in the white tents
of Camp Harrison, in Georgia. in the
lower part of the State, where families are
always far between and much more SO in
war times. For long weeks we had not
seen a woman or child. $40 3gsy
AT last the railroad through the Camp
was repaired, and in the first train there
was lady. with wide awake, blue eyed,
Growing baby. Some hundreds OF rough
soldiers were around the ears. and Capt.
Story, of the 5Tth Georgia Infantry, was
the biggest and toughest among them, if
we may Judge of the tree by its bark. Hh1
The lady, with the baby in her arms,
was looking from window, and he took
y l.. n T.. ,,..Fi