San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1880-11-13
Pre-. Natal Influences.

Every child that enters this life is
tho result Of many former genera
tions. Tendencies TO strength or
disease, to virtues or vices and to all
traits of mind and body arc trans
mitted from one generation to an
other. Every quality Of organic
life tends to be hereditary. Looks
voice, manners and habits are hand
ed down from parents to posterity.
Some families are marked by pecu-
liar features; we saw, not long ago,
the portrait of a man who lived 400
years ago. His nose was long and
broad. His posterity retain this pc
culiar nasal form. A child was born
some ten years ago, whose father
died some six months before his
birth. This child in early infancy
always seized his right ear and pull
ed it, whenever he undertook to
think. The father and grandfather
did the same. The members Of o
certain family in an Eastern state
have had super-numerary toes and
fingers for as many generations as
their history extends. The ''porcu-
pine" or Lambert family had certain
portions of the body covered with
bristles, that resemble the quilts Of a
porcupine. One member of the
family married and had six children
who had the same bristle covering a.
the father.
Many diseases ore hereditary.
Consumption, rheumatism, gout, in
sanity are examples. Some families
for many generations are annoyed
more or less, by disorders Of the di-
gestive organs, the stomach and the
liver. Among domestic animals the
same hereditary law prevails. Con
tracted feet, ring bones, SPAWN and
other maladies Of which the horse is
subjected are hereditary. Some dis
eases of sheep and cattle are trans
missible. This tendency to certain
traits and conditions is not limited
to diseases or deformities. Good
qualities are inherited. Health,
strength and endurance, bulk, form
and beauty are usually transmitted
from one generation to another.
Fatness and leanness, hardness and
witness Of muscles, working hsrl
and living long are all hereditary.
An interesting hereditary law is, that
certain qualities Of mind and certain
tendencies of body show themselves
at certain periods Of life. All the
females of certain family became
insane at so years Of age for as
many generations as the ancestry
can be traced.
These are striking illustrations of
what we see on q smaller scale. They
are enough to show that parents
may exert good or bad influence
upon the health and character OF
their children. They may aid the
mother to realize that her health and
character have an influence upon the
mind and body Of her children.
States of mind and conditions of her
body may be handed down to pos
terity.
Her conduct during CESSATION exl
erts decided effect on the child.
An habitual state Of mind and body,
good or bad temper, sound or poor
health, exert positive influence on
the coming child. Great and good
men are usually the children Of great
and good mothers. The healthy
mother has healthy chil1ren. The
sweet-tempered mother has sweet
tempered children. This may not
be always true, because other in
huences modify the results. q
The coming mother, then, should
do what she can to secure mental,
moral, and physical health during her
period of CESSATION. This period is
supposed to be full Of danger. But
if the coming mother regards the
laws of health, avoids inactivity, and
excesses and indulgences, she need
fear no evil. She should realize that
relation exists between her own
conduct and health and the proper
growth of her offspring. Newborn
infants may have good health, but
time may show that disease, con-
tracted during CESSATION, may be
latent for months and years And
80 it is with moral traits Of character.
They are developed by circumstances.
As a rule, it is true that the health
of the child is secured by the health,
comfort and cherfullness Of the
mother. Her health may not de
mand an unusual supply OF food
She should eat as much as she can
well digest, and not as much as her
appetite may crave. A moderate
amount of food. moderate exercise,
checrfulness, and the cultivation of
noble traits of character, will usually
! induce the best results. Securing
the vital influences OF the sun. the
invigorating influences Of fresh air.
moderate eating, exercising, and
sleeping, have good effects Food
suitable and digested properly yields
healthy sustenance The luxuries
and indolencs Of the men may ex-
hsust tire powers Of the stomach.
Food undigested ceases TO be nutn-
tous. 50 far % the infant born Il
concerned. the result Is the sane
ghe.der the want Of nourshmen'
-. g., ,.-,-,s ~ fa.o.l Or uan4 o'