The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-01-17
DEGENERATION.
A Study in Anthropology by Will
lam w. Ireland.

Degeneration. A Study in Anthro-
pology," is the title of an intelligent
and thoughtful article of some fifty
pages. contributed to The Interna-
tional Monthly by william w. Ireland.
of Edinburgh. We copy some or the
concluding paragraphs:
I'VE are going through critical
time, and some dangers look ominous
tor the future of the race. TWO or
these may be briefly mentioned.
zone is the overpressure upon young
people connected with school tasks
and examinations, qualifying and com-
petitive. This seems every day to
spread wider and to invade all the
ranks of life. In Britain, after much
eXertion, we have succeeded in gaining
some relief from the inspector oil
schools, and his ill-drawn-up codes for
the younger children; but the worst
strain falls upon the middle and up
per classes. Surely II Is a mistake TO
make the drilling and preparation ron
the battle of life more hurtful than
the actual warfare itself. The toll,
veXation, and disappointment connect
ed with examinations pervade almost
all branches of knowledge, ana are
getting more grievous every year. THIS
evil has already inflicted enduring in
Jury on men of the Stud!ous class, ana
Is likely still to go on helping 70
increase the tendency TO exhaustion
and irritability of the nervous system,
and to disgust men with learning.
Though there Is a great deal of dis
content. and many protests have come
from thoughtful men all over Europe,
II looks as II things will need to get
worse before they can get petter. our
studious youth are lavish OF mind
labor, and the number of reflections III
examinations is often paraded as
proof of the value of the degree.
Though as physicians we are often
called upon to prescribe for the evils
of overwork in preparing for eXamina-
tions, the examinations for degrees in
medicine are often the most senseless
and difficult of all To put things on
more sensible footing, examinations
would need to be taken out of the
hands of the teaching class together.
Each professor has rooted conviction
that his own speciality is Of surpass-
ing importance. Their interest, their
self importance, even their conscien-
tiousness, all drive one way, to make
them hold up what they call a high
standard,
"The principal evils TO health from
overstudy. besides injured growth
among young people, appear to be
kidney diseases and neurasthenia,
Young women who sometimes study
with too great diligence are liable to
suffer from chlorosis and neuralgia:
and governesses, struggling upwards
| from the poorer walks of life. are Of
ten observed in asylums.
"On the other hand, IL must be re-
membered In this connection that
young people take more to athletics
| than they used to do. In running,
jumping, skating, swimming, and row.
| ing, there is no record which has not
been beaten within the last fifteen
years. Girls In their teens take more
exercise than their mothers or grand
mothers did, and this will help to
make them more robust In future
years.
THE second is Il more far-reachins
| danger. There are so many induce
ments now-a- days for women to with.
draw from their natural duties, that
Solomon's description Of bad woman
may pass as the type of good one
She is loud and stubborn and abidetl