Anadarko daily democrat. [volume] (Anadarko, Oklahoma) 1901-190?, 1901-09-30
INEnRIEry NOT HEREDITARY.

NOI
II is now eighteen months since the
Society for the study of inebrlety APP
pointed a special committee to consid-
er the relation of heredity to inebrety,
says the London Lancet. The com
mittee was composed OF five physi-
clans, two surgeons, a professor of
bacteriology an army surgeon and
i've general medicine practitioners.
Eighteen months have been spent in
investigation. The report of this
committee has just been published and
II is signed by nine OF the fourteen
members, some OF whom have made
comments. while one has sent In au
independent report The reference to
the comittee was in these terms: To
investigate the conditions under
which the tendency of drunkenness is
capable OF transmission to offspring
IL does not appear to be contended
that inebriety is in itself hereditary
but that capacity or tendency to 1t
is heritable. The report declares that
the inebriety Of an individual depends
upon three conditions. the first being
an inborn capacity for enjoying the
sensations which alcohol produces and
the second and third being acquired
personal experiences of the pleasures
of alcohol and the increased delight
which continued indulgence confers in
the case of the inebriate That one
drunken generation often succeeds an
other suggest a hereditary taint.
The committee adds that there is no
evidence that acquired characteristics
of any kind are heritable. This APP
pears to have been a much debated
question. Popular opinion has taken
for granted that the acquired charac-
teristics of parents are likely to be
inherited, and. of course, Temperance
reformers," well meaning. but often
ignorant and misguided, have not
been slow TO urge upon the public that
each mans drinking is pretty cure to
produce for him a generation of child
rem who will become drunkards. II
this be not true, the temperance re-
former (who is generally in favor OF
entire abstinence rather than temper
ance) must bear heavy responsible
~ for the vast amount OF mental tor
ture which he has inflicted on the
moderat .ly drinking citizen. The last
word OF science. however. as declared
by teachers of physiology, biology and
botany. is very definite assertion
: that no instance of the hereditary
transmission of an acquired charac'
teristlc has ever been demonstrated
either in the animal or vegetable king
dom. II this be fact man can only
/. transmit to a son the hereditary tain
with which he was born, and II a mar
having no inborn tendency to excess
yet acquires drunken habits, his pro
geny Is in no more danger than thos'
OF his neighbor, leaving out of con
sideration the effect of environment
ON youth II is not denied that drunk
en- parents who become thus mental,
and physically weak are liable to hav,
children who are degenerate--weak IL
body and feeble in mind; such persons
in fact as under propitious circum
stances, tend to become paupers, erin
nals. epileptics and drunkards. Tn
point which is denied is that tn
drunkard's child has the specialize
tendency to become inebriate rathe
b than vicious in some other direction
1t seems that the question of environ
ment is of more Importance after al
than that of heredity. and man o
strong will is just as likely TO exer
else II in the qualification of his de
sires as in the contrary direction.
man of powerful will finds that alec
hol gives him pleasure he will TAX
good care to repeat the experience.