, 1881-06-19
THE LAW OF HEREDITY.

The law Of heredity, which the philosoph
ic scientists are working out to almost All eX
! net basis, is destined to accomplish grea
| good for the human race. There is nc
| stronger sentiment In the human heart thar
| love for offspring; in cases where such affec'
| ton finds no place the exercise of other infu-
ences and restraints may we'll be regarded Is
hopeless. When this law shall command the
faith of the professions and became familiar
to all Intelligent people it will be so eluci-
dated and applied in practical way as to
reduce the extent Of disease, crime, and
suffering. An Instance of the future useful
ness of this study is afforded by an English
physician, DR.. u. G. Echeyerria, who contrib
utes to the Journal Of Mental Science an
article under the title OF ''Alcoholic Epi-
lepsy.'' The theory therein elaborated is,
that intemperance and variety of nervous
diseases are closely allied. Alcoholism be-
queaths epilepsy and kindred disorders. and
these in turn hand down 4 new appetite for
drink. The following paragraph sun,ma-
rizes some Of the investigations recounteL In
the article:
family relationship OF liz individuals, Us 1uaes
and # females, who were Incorporate. The
children, counted in families 10 winch they be-
healthy and Tut died from commissions in in
fancy; 81 died from other maladies, ) committed
suicide. III are epsptic, G3 are conxenital idiots,
~ are munacs OF hypuchOndriucs, uFe af-
flicted with general paralysis, 5 with loconotor
asnxy drreEular.ty in the locomotive orsans), :.6
dance, with strabismns tcross-eyes,. 10 arc
scrutnlous and crippled, : are deaf, and @t were
sti-born. or this total ~ are living. but not
sound, IL! had commissions in Infancy and IS
have cGQEumUtlEE EFUlptO[n3 with their other
mulad1eS. Intcu,perate instincts have shown
themselves in .O5 OF the ~, and twenrg-eght Of
these are among those counted in the heulthy
list. just half uf the cpileptlc prisonrrs III the
Wakefield Jail In another Of Ur. Echeverrins
The largest proportion OF dangerous luna.ics,
nc states: belong to the class OF the alcoholic
insane. The safety Of society, in more ways
than one, Is concerned In the removal Of such
chronic cases from the family circle and FROM
1umly ties. -Auutner OF his tables gives ~ per
cent Of epilepsy I 10 the progeny Of intemperate
ut Is per cent: while he sets down 20 per cent uf
cpileptic cAses ut first instance directly due to
ity and some accidental agencies besides CO.
operate with alcoholic excess to cuuse the dis
ease directly: OF "a epeptIcs with such de-
scent, 1. males al,d l. females were the only
surviving offspring in their respective families:
Is had all their living brothers anu sisters
healthy, and the retnalitng Us hud either BROTH
eiS Or sisters who were iutOtic, epleptic, insane
I'arnytic, weak minded, blind, scrotuous, and
Crippled
The practical bearing of such investiga-
tions is obvious. The best way to assure the
cure of any evil is to first ascertain its cause.
When the knowledge of Inherited and allied
diseases becomes as familiar to the doctors
as their present information IN regard to
complaints and the cause thereof, |
they will be able to work great reforms in |
the habits OF people, and they will have the |
aid OF the clergy, the sclloolmaster, the wife, !
mother, sister. and sweetheart. Men and |
women will reform for the sake of their clll- |
aren who would not change their course of |
life for their own sake. Abstract appeals,
BASED upon moral example and influence, /
have not the direct force Of conviction that
certain habits entail disgusting diseases. inl-
'ecility, heiplesness, anti disgrace upon those
hey love more than all elsc in the world.
The study Of lleretlity and its laws Is one of
he most valuable Of all mntIern race3 rrhas !