The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1885-06-24
Temperance.
Hereditary Effects of Intemperance.

The hereditary influences of strong
drink are recognized and understood
by scientists, though little thought of
by the common people. Mr.. Ribot, a
celebrated French author, who is an
authority on all questions of physiology
and psychology, says: The passion
known as dipsomania, or alcoholism, is
so frequently transmitted that all are
agreed in considering its heredity as
the rule; not, however, that the pas
sion for drink is always transmitted in
that identical form, for it often degen-
crates into mania, idiocy and hallucina-
ton" DIR. Magnus Huss says: " A
or total atrophy of the brain, by which
the organ is reduced in volume, so
that it no longer fills the bony case;
and the consequence is mental degen-
Grafton, which, in the progeny, results
in lunatics and idiots" DIR. Gall, the
celebrated German physician, who was
the founder of the system of phrenol-
ogy, in one of his works speaks of
Russian family in which the father and
grandfather had died prematurely from
the effects of strong drink, and says:
"The grandson, at the age of FIVE,
manifested the same liking in the high
est degree" Girou de Buzareingues,
a noted French Psychologist, testifes
that he knew several families in which
the taste for strong drink was trans
mitted by the mother
These are only few of the many
who might be quoted upon this subject;
and we quote these because their views
and opinions were in no way affected
by the present agitation of the tenn
perance question. They treated the
subject purely as a matter of physi-
illogical science, without any refer
ence to moral reform, and, examin-
ing ii from this purely scientific stand
point, they affirm that dipsomania, or
alcoholism, transmits from parent to
child the degenerate physical or mental
condition, as well as the peculiar appe-
titles, passions, propensities and ten
denotes which it produces in the parent.
Thus it curses not only those who in
dulge in it, but their descendants as
well. Its effects pass down from gen.
Grafton to generation, living, blight
ing, damning stream of ruin. Nor does
this hold true only in exceptional in
stances; it is the law; and, where it
fails to so operate, it forms the eXcep-
ton. Alcoholism transmits to the chill
dren the effects it produces in the parent.
DR.. Morel, learned and well-known
French physician and author, gives the
history of a family living in the Vosges
mountains in which the great-grand-
fatherdied a drunkard; the grandfather,
addicted to drink, died maniac; the
father, though not so hard a drinker,
was subject to hypochondria and homi-
cidal tendencies and the son was
idiotic. Here we see, in the first gen.
Grafton, alcoholic excess; in the second,
hereditary dipsomania; in the third,
hypOchondria and homicidal tenden-
cies; and, in the fourth, idiocy and
merciful extinction of the family.
DR.. Morel tells of family he knew
where the father, of excellent family
connection, died of chronic alcoholism,
leaving seven children. OF these chill
dren, two died at an early age of con-
vulsions: the third became insane at
twenty-five and died an idiot; the
fourth, after several attempts at sui
eide, fell into the lowest grade of idiocy;
the fifth, passionate and misanthropic,
broke off all relation with his family;
the sixth, daughter, suffered from
nervous disorder, chiefly of hysteria
with intermittent attacks of insanity;
the seventh was very intelligent work.
man, but constantly oppressed with the
gloomiest forebodings of his future.
Here the alcoholism of the father put
its blight and curse upon all the children.
This DR.. Morel made a specially of
studying into the causes of degeneracy
in families and nations. He had an
opportunity of examining one hundred
fifty youths, from ten to seventeen
years of age, children of the class called
"the Commune in Paris. Here he
found the most convincing proof of the
baneful effects descending from parent
to child, as the results of indulgence in
strong drink. He declared the effects to
be three-fold, producing physical, intel
lectual and moral degeneracy. But why
multiply proof? The testimony of i'm
partial scientists on the subject ought
to be convincing; and this testimony is
abundant-cOming not from temperance
fanatics, but from cool-headed scientists
who care nothing about the temperance
question. And these men declare that
not only excessive, but also moderate
indulgence in alcoholic drink, will trans
nit these effects upon the children
NJ. E. Dmhom, DID,, Ph.D.