New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-10-25

o 10 dODA r-pon the wine cup when il is REQ,
anu 4oW much less taste its contents. "A
".other who had an sbnormally craving de-
sire for brandy gave birth to child that
was not pacified by its food. Remember
ing her unsatisfed longings, the mother
child = few drops Of brandy and
water. and from that time il vas
quiet and satisfied with the nourish-
lnens given it. Two children found
flask Of spirits that was kept in the house
for medicinal purposes, and drank there
from till they were hopelessly intoxicated.
When the parents returned and learned the
cause Of the illness of the children, thinking
10 cure any desire in them for liquor a the
future, offered them more: at the eight OF
il ono turned his head in disgust. but the
other seized the cup and would have drained
! its contents. The father bowed his head in
silence in sorrow and remorse, knowing too
! we'll the origin Of the taste. The after life
Of this child was . struggle with the
tempter. Occasionally it mastered him.
! and have heard him say that eobr;ety had
| cost him great effort.
DR.. Morell examined the mental condition
! Of $50 children between tho ages OF ten and
! seventeen from the poor classes OF England.
| the majority the offspring Of criminals and
! Of those addicted to the use OF liquors. He
I save not only were these children endowed
| with depraved physiognomy. but there
I was stamped upon them the triple curse OF
| physical. intellectual, and moral degen.
| eracy. When We realize the large numbers
| OF children, not only among the poor and
| ignorant, but also among the educated and
/ the wealthy, that are conceived when the
! demon alcohol is coursing through the blood
| Of one or both parents, we are not surprised
! that drunkards and criminals are the result.
! Last winter I made constant visits TO the
! cd aYfa ef
| diapidated tenement houses in Boston.
/ Among many other similar experiences
| recall bare attic room, within it, husband
! and wife, both lying upon pile Of rags in
| one corner stupeted by liquor. The wife
and mother, half clad and deiormed, clasped
| in her arms six months old babe, which
| was drawing its Aourishment from her
| poisoned milk.
| II the imp Of darkness had conspired to
! Undue the ehild's nature with the worst
! possible influences, nothing more could
/ have been done to bring about this demon
! alizing result. In another den of wretched-
ness saw little child, whose head scarcely
! reached above the table, drink empty =
| cup before could seize it. that contained
| whisky that had been prescribed by the
| city physician attending the dying mother
of the child.
We must take into consideration that in.
herited alcoholism shows itself not alone in
| drunkenness, but in the form Of mania and
Of hypochondria. As Carpenter says, cit
| weakens the will, excites the lower pro.
pensities, and blunts the moral sense" DR..
Howe, OF Boston, reports that OF 400 idiots
| in Massachusetts, las were the children Of
! Incorporate parents; he says further that
| the transmission of any intirmity is not
| always direct, it 10 not always in the came
form. 1t may be modified by the influences
| Of ono sound parent; it may slip one gene
| ration: it may affect one in one form and
! one in another, so in q thousand ways it
! child by diminishing and not by destroying
! the vigor OF it's mind and body, almost par
! alizing one mental faculty, or giving fearful
| activity to one animal propensity, and so
! reappearing in tho child in q different dress
| from that worn by the parents.
DR.. Thompson. OF England. who had An
| extended and intimate experience Of years
| with criminals, cites many instances in
which several members Of Q family. run.
ming through three generations with alco-
I holic taints, were imprisoned tor various Of
| lenses and executed tor murders they had
committed.
| We have had in Boston the pas: gear, in
| the person of . tender youth. fearful ex.
ample of mania for the torturing and muG.
| dering of children with whom he came in
| contact. II the mental condition OF the
! mother could be known when she was
carrying her child, there would be posi-.
bility OF striking at the root Of this propen.
| sity. He may have been an unwelcOme
| child, and che have ponderet in hey heart
| his distinctions; may even have made the
| effort 70 destroy him. When asked for his
| motives in committing such cruel deeds,
! his reply was, Il could not help it,
In China, when capital crime j, com.
| mitted, the physical and mental condition
of the offender is scrupulously considered.
| but the investigation does not cease here,
| the persons antecedents are inquired into,
| from the more distant branch to his imme-
! date family, and sometimes the parents
and even those more distantly related share
! his punishment. was told recently OF .
man who declared that the taste for tobacco
was natural one, and proved his assertion,
in his own case, for he and all his brothers
had chewed it with a relish from their child
hood. Upon further inquiry it was found
that his father had used it. both his grand
father and grandmother. and SO on for gen.
erations before. 1t is not surprising,
following the law Of development,
that this habit had become natu.
yal one. Tie use Of all Of the lesser
stimulants, tea, coffee and spices INDUCED
in by the parent, are not lost sight OK in
their influence upon the child. They pre-.
pare the way for the desire for strong
stimulants. Aided in our observations by
the microscope, We have learned that an
especial food is set apart for the develop
ment OF the queen bee. 4 careful selection
of diet during CESSATION may add to the
timer qualities OF all growth in the human
embryo.
!. Aversion in taste is also hereditary. /
knew child whose mother had d special
dislike for animal food. This boy has never
been induced to taste il, and avoids going
near . market where it is for sale. A dis
taste for certain food is 10 deeply seated
that some are made very uncomfortable by
sitting near them at table.
Inherited cases are 80 universal! that We
need not cite far-fetched eases. but rather
call to mind many instances in our own
circle OF friends and acquaintances. The
skilitul, careful MUSICIAN never fails 10 in
form himself, if possible. in forming his
diagnosis, regarding the inherited mental
and physical predispositioD, of not only his
patient, but of his forefathers.
Since life insuring has become q legiti.
mate business. this subject has been SO
carefully considered, that. giving the
health, status and longevity Of the ances.
of ones own length OF life chances. Sudden
deaths at a certain age have been known to
run through q generation of families.
Suicidal tendencies are inherited. In the
beautiful Italian valley of Aoste. every
third child born develops into eretinism or
is affected by gOitre. The climate, the air,
and the water have in turn been considered
by scientists responsible for it.
l have never seen reference made to the
surroundings of the mother during gesta.
ton as influencing it. which seems 10 me
exceedingly probable. when we consider
the burdens she bears. She CLEANS from the
"a llays and YOoupt al sidQa ia distant "