West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1882-11-11
NEW ENGLAND DYING our.

the Sandwich Islanders. But the
comparison is made by New Eng
land physician. Tee two peoples
according to him, are alike, howev-
er, only in their tendency to die out.
Beades the strictly native New
Eenglsnders,' says DR.. Allen, in the
Popular Science Monthly, there is
only one OF her people or race where
there has been suohs material decrease
IN numbers--that is, the Sandwich
Islanders"
Ii Ia welt known that since their
Characterization the people OF the
Sandwich Islands have fallen off
rapidly in numbers. The decrease
within fifty years has been two-thirds.
la 1880, when the fret census YVES
taken, the population was 100 600.
That was ton years after the Ameri-
can missionaries began their work.
According to the last census the to-
ia! waa only about 10000, or less
than one-third as many az fifty years
ago. The trouble is that civilization
has carried in to the Sandwich L.
lends diseases induced by Icentious.
ness and intenperanoe, which have
caused a physical degeneracy in the
people. THE law of propagation
has been violated to snch an extent
that 1T threatens the extinction of
that people" says DR.. Allen.
The decrease in numbers among
the strictly native New Euglanders.
however, s attributed by DR.. Allen,
who has long made a special study
OF the subject, TO some change in the
physical an.zation.' In the last
century the colonists OF New Eup.
land, made mp mostly of Eng
!ish stock, multiplied rapidly.
Their natural increase was 80 great
chat they doubled in numbers in
twenty-five years. "Malthus re-
garded them as the best specimens
in thlsr spect Of any people or race,
and bssed upon facts from this
source his great principle of popu a.
ton"
But within the last hundred years
a remarkable change has taken place.
Carefully kept rocords show that the
average number Of children TO each
fapi y has decreased with every gen.
Grafton. They commenced with
large families averaging eight or
nine, but it is now doubtful whether
the average will exceed three chill.
dren to family, scarcely enough to
keap the Original stock good in
numbers And"this change has
occurred in The same places with
the same people, having the same
Cd mate aud pleanty Of food"
The main cause, says DR.. Allen, ia
that "the men are not 30 strong and
vigorous as their grsnfathers and an
cestors,and the women have deterlo.
rated physIcally in a surprising de-
gree. A majority OF them have
performance OF nerve tissue. with
weak muscles and digestive organs.
TIE most marked change in this one
hundred years, in organization, lie
this loss Of balance or harmony IN
the orRansi aud especially in women
1t is far more striking. They have
been divergipg more and more from
that normal standard upon which the
law Of propagation ia based Only
about one half Of The New England
women can properly nurse there Off
spring, aud this incapacity for nurs-
ing is constantly increasing. This
Dr. Allen regusrds 90 very significant
Of some change IN organization to
which the natural decrease 10 due.
The facts on which DR.. Allen ba-
ses bic conclusions are known to every.
body who 10 familiar with the pres
ent New Enplsoders Of the old stock
We mean those who are stlll 10 be
found 10 the region inhabited by
their ancestors-the New England
/ era who have renamed AZ home
Their families are small. They are
not physically rs vigorous as their
fat hers. The women are not svm-
metriosIly developed, and their ner.
vous zation is apt to be morbid.
/ OF course, there are exceptions, but
they generally occur when some
other blood has been mixed with the
native New England.
The best Of The New Enpland
stock has not remained II home. IL
has for generations gone 10 regions
OF vide opportunities, where there
Was more chance for vigor and eD-
terprlse. The strong men and the
handsome women have emiQrated
and while the physical force oil New
England has been declining. ITS in
| a hoofuaI "a mat D. hoe .f-. 4. H.. Al