The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1880-07-09
Proctor's Views on Marriage.

Richard A. Proctor, in characteristic
letter on the conclusions of Bertellion
and Drysdale, that marriage is conducive
to longevity and check on crime and
insanity, takes somewhat converse
view. He says: ssThe statistics ad-
vanced can prove nothing as to the effect
of marriage on the death rate, until it
has been shown that there is no selective
influence tending on the whole to bring
the healthier and stronger persons of
both sexes into marriage relations in
greater numbers, relatively, than those
feebler specimens of humanity, who
swell the death rate for the ages dealt
with. Apart from this, although there
may be some mischief of promulgating
the notion that the feebler sort will find
protection in marriage to them
and still more serious mischief to the
world in increasing the numbers of weak
and ailing persons-this mischief is not
to be compared to that likely to arise
from encouraging the notion that the
best cure for criminal cases is an early
marriage, and that man with madness
in his blood should hasten to the altar if
he would remain sane. Even if the sta
tistics prove what is alleged, it would be
the worst possible thing for the world,
and would bring. untold misery into
| families, thus to nourish the mad or
| criminal taint. It is for the interest of
| the world that, as much as possible, and
! by all lawful means, those criminal ten
| denotes should be prevented from increas-
ing and multiplying on the earth. Mad
| ness, too, with its associated diseases,
even if it could be checked in the indi
vidual by marriage would be reproduced
in the offspring. The statistics probably
show, not that marriage prevents crime,
or checks madness, but criminal and in
sane tendencies diminish the matrimo-
nial prospects of the persons SO unfortu-
nate as to possess them. Of course do
not deny that marriage would have an
influence on persons of moderately crimi
nal tastes, but it would have such an in
fuence chiefly by reason of that per-
sons better nature, which would lead
him or her to avoid any course that
might bring sorrow on beloved wife
or husband. With regard to the man
with insane tendencies, the best way he
could show his better nature assuming
him to be aware of his condition) would
be by abstaining from what, in his case,
would be the sin of marrying.
Will the world have the good sense to
accept the deductions that necessarily
follow from the law of heredity, and
come to the conclusion that the surer
way to improve the general, moral,
physical and intellectual statues of the
world, is to pay more attention to parent
age? If SO, there is some hope of re-
demption.
| FALLACIEs REGARDING CREAM-A mi
croscopic examination of cream raised
in vessels exposed to the air reveals the
presence OF minute air or gas bubbles.
This being the case, the absurdity of all
ventilating appliances is apparent, as the
means employed produces precisely a
contrary result. No matter how small
the opening for ventilation (for nature
abhors a vacuum) and the impervious
coating of cream is quickly formed. By
the submerged system the butter globules
neither adhere nor oxidize, and the gases,
if any arise, meet with no obstruction, as
the same microscopic examination proves,
and are condensed and carried off in the
is warmer than it's surroundings, its ten
dency is to throw off vapors; when colder,
to absorb hence the necessity of excIu-
sion for perfect results. The theory OF
raising cream by currents in the milk is
a fallacy. Recent critical observations
have established the fact that the butter
globules rise because their specific grav-
ity is less than that of the other com
ponent parts of milk that they ascend
in direct perpendicular lines, the milk
descending in the same way, and that
whatever current there is in the milk, is
the consequence, but not the cause OF
their rising.-[ VIM. Cody, before the
New York Dairyman's Association.
How He Cor THE KETTLE.-Bishop
Selwyn was benevolent and kindly