The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1873-12-26
Hereditary Qualities.

The heredity of anomalies of organ
ization has been demonstrated in sew
eral instances. One of the most singu-
lar of these is the case of Edward Lam
bers, whose whole body, except the face.
the palms OF the hands, and the soles
of the feet, was covered with sort of
shell, consisting of horny excrescences.
He was the father of six children, all of
whom presented the same anomaly at
the age of six weeks. The only one of
them, who lived transmitted the peculi-
arity to all his sons, and this transmits
sion, passing from male to male, per-
sisted through five generations. Men
ton is also made of the Colburn family,
where the parents of four generations
transmitted to the children what is
called sexdigitism, .. C., hands and feet
with six digits each. Albinism, hating,
hare-lip, and other anamalies, are, in
like manner, produced in the progeny.
1t has been observed that purely indi-
vidual habits have a like tendency TO re
peat themselves. Girou de Buzarein-
CUES informs us that he knew a man
who, when abed, was wont to lie on his
back with the Fright leg crossed on the left.
One of his daughters had the same
habit from birth she constantly as
sumed that position in the cradle, not
withstanding the resistance offered by
the swaddling bands. The same author
assures us that hehas oftentimes noticed
in children other habits no less extra
ordinary, which they must have received
from their parents, and which cannot
be attributed either to imitation or TO
education. A child had the odd habit
of setting its fingers in rapid motion
whenever it was particularly pleased
with anything. When greatly excited
the same child would raise the hands on
both sides as high as the eyes, with the
fingers in rapid motion, as before.
Even in old age he experienced a diff
Guilty in refraining from these gestures.
He had eight children, one of whom, a
girl, when four years of age, used to
set her fingers going and to lift up her
hands after the manner of her father.
Finally, heredity has been observed in
handwriting. There are families in
which the special use of the left hand is
hereditary. Various peculiarities of
sensorial conditions are transmitted in a
similar way. Nearly all the members
of the Montmorency family were affected
with an incomplete strabismus, which
used to be called the Montmorency look.
The incapacity to distinguish between
different colors is VIGOROUSLY hered-
itary. The distinguished English
chemist, Dalton, and two of his broth
ers. were thus affected, and hence the
affection itself received the name Of
Daltonism. Deafness and blindness
are sometimes hereditary, though not
often, and deafmuteness still more rare
ly. Some curious instances are given of
the transmission of certain perverse
tastes. Lucas, according to thinner
mann, was possessed of an irresistible
desire of eating human flesh. He had
daughter. Although removed away
from her father and mother, who were
sent TO the stake before she was one
year old, and although brought up
among respectable people, this girl, like
her father, succumbed before her
strange craving for human flesh. This
is clearly a case allied to insanity. -Ne1O
York Observer.