The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1896-11-14
Marriage Among Blood Relation

Z
The results OF these marriages have
been differently regarded by various
authors. Esquiriol attributed to them
a predisposition to insanity among
the descendants. Meniere affirms that
in the majority of cases deaf-mutes
owe their infirmity to the ties of rela
tionship between their parents. Lucas
. thinks that these marriages are a
cause OF degeneration in the human
race:that they produce mental dullness,
brutality, insanity, impotence. etc.
LiGpIeicn states t-,,t SOnsangGiH-,y J..
frequently the cause of pigmentary
retintis among the descendants. Ray
maud ranks consIngulnity among the
conditions which may produce albin-
ism. I,uys seemed TO have proved
also. says the "ritcr. the injurious in
tluence of consanguineous marriages.
On the other hand. says The writer.
others have boldly declared themselves
in favor of these marriages, and state
that they are not al all injurious, that
generally they give good results. L
is not astonishing then. he says. that
in the face OF such extreme opinions
other authors, such as Levy, Bouch-
ardat, Voisin, Darwin, Lacassagne.
Ballet, and others. should view the
question from both sides, and affirm
that these marriages are productive
OF both good and ev II results. accord
ing TO whether the contracting parties
are exempt from or affected by con-
stitutiOnal diseases. With such a
diversity OF opinions, continues the
writer, it is difficult for physicians TO
decide when they are consulted by
patients in regard to the subject. NJ.
Perrin recently made study of the
question under consideration ana
gives his conclusions as follows: FIRST
of ali. among the numerous affections
attributed TO marriages of cCnSan-
guinity. idiocy. insanity and epilepsy
are due generally to heredity. but in a
few cases consanguinity Of the parents
may certainly b. the cause. As to
convulsions in the young. the case
are 50 numerous that it is impossible
to attribute this Il affection to the infa-
ence of consanguinity. It may have !
share in the production of deaf mutes.
but it is not an invariable factor.
With regard TO affections of the sight.
the influence exercised by consanguin-
ity has been ascertained, and in al
binism has been distinctly proved
Concerning sterility, N. Perrin thinks
this can not be attributed to consan-
"uiEity a.oae. He has further shown
that certain cOn@enital deformities
have beeI so frequently observed in
children whose parents .,ere perfectly
healthy that. in these cases. We are
forced 10 admit the th.0rr .f cossan-
guinity atone
On the whole. says the wi'i,er. we
may conclude that II under certain
circumstances consanguin;ry and
heredity are two Geological factors
which combine in the same family 70
bring about the same morbid results.
it is none the less true that in some
cases consanguiaeous marriages
among healthy persons may exercise
al UnEGv0"& bic i-@ua-c. on tLer-ii3-
ren. ". Perrin. says tine writer, ad-
vises physicians not to dissuade their
patients from marriage if there is no
diathesis. no hereditary disease. and
if they are in good health and have
strong constitutions: on the other
hand. it is not we'll to encourage them.
he says because even in the best con-
ditions the children of such marriages
have presented irremediable defects.
But if the physician discovers the least
trace of physical or mental affections
he should exert all his influence to
prevent such marriages. for they could
only be productive of deplorable re-
suits New York Medical Journal.