The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1914-02-12

hrst, the description of a certain NUM-
Der of bodily characteristics by which
a certain group Of people are classified
30 as to be said to belong to one race
or the other, or to a subdivision of the
race, namely, as Aryan or Semitic.
such characteristics are the form OF
the head. whether long or short, color
OF the skin. blond or brunei, color
OF h eyes and hair, fair, golden or
black and brown. blue. gray or brown
and black.
Second. this science occupies itself
with the description of the physto-
logical ~pecularities of the people. and
third. with the mental characteristics.
But while the discussion of the first
group of characteristics is rather a
tas for specialists, anthropologists
ana et~hnologists, who. as all scien-
ton Of the physiological and mental
traits of peoples is of more popular
and common interest. In the social
intercourse between men and men. a
knowledge of the particularities Of u
ne1ghbor will help us to a higher ap-
understanding and more congenial
amiability. In speaking, therefore, of
the ethnology of the Jews, a people
widely spread n found as an element
OF population everywhere, it will be
best II we limit ourselves to their
PIlySlOlOSlCdl anu IQSI1Lal lTdllS. u -
Racial Blood Shows.
The physical and physiological traits
OF a nation are not only the result of
the racial blood but a product Of the
whole life of the race. In the long
course of the history Of its existence
a nation acquires various character
ist1cs, which, by consistent inference,
become hereditary. With regard to
the Jews, whose racial life has been so
long and in many respects SO extreme
ly variably unique, it might we'll be
expected that their physiological traits
should be many, distinct and pro-
nounced. True. a number of the traits
are a resul of peculiar social condi-
ions that nave existed and still exist,
n with the removal of the cause the
effect disappears, but In the majority
OF traits are stable. One of such un-
stable characteristics is the stature of
the Jews. They are on the whole re-
garded of short stature; some have
spoken of them as belonging to the
shortest nations, but Investigations
have proven differently. The stature
of the Jews differs only by two CEN
timeters from that Of the non-Jews.
The average for the eastern European
Jews is 1862 centimeters, for non-Jews
Of that region 164 c%entinleters. In
England, however, the height Of the
Jews equals that of the gentle, namely
ITO centimeters. The shortness of the
stature of the Jew is due to their
social conditions, poverty and poor nu-
triton. 1t was proven by Boas (Bul-
letin Of Immigration, 20S) that the
height Of the Jewish immigrant has
considerably increased within a short
time.
But, while the life of the Jew has left
Its cruel marks upon his physique, 1t
has also contributed to his welfare. 1t
Is to be noticed that the Jews posses a
number of biotic Oife) advantages. He
is able to live with ease under all elm
ates. tropical as well as cold ones. he
exists in such places where Europeans
would long since rave persisted II not
for the influx of immigrants. Another
valuable trait is their longevity, thei1
average duration Of life is higher thar
that OF other creeds, their mortality Is
low. It is claimed that or this account
they are regarded by life insurance
companies as desirable clients. On the
other hand their birth rate is not very
high and their great increase Is made
up by the small death rate. Their te-
nacity to life is remarkable, especially
low is their infant mortality, and &C
cordingly the expectation of life Of the
Jews is longer and higher than the
non-Jews Census Bulletin 49,
On the pathological side the jews
show some peculiar traits. Alcoholism
is are among them, some authorities
ascribe 1t to an inherent immunity, bu'
some to their pure life, which immunity
disappears with their emancipation
claimed for the Jews from epidemic de
seases such as cholera, typhoid ant
other contagious Diseases, but recon
Investigations prove it questionable.
Less Affected by tuberculosis.
In regard to tuberculosis, however, I
seems established that the Jews il
spite Of the narrowness Of their ches
are less affected by it, and those at
fected hold out longer than the non
Jews Omitted States vital statistics
1900.) 1t is due to the past life Of thu
Jews, to their long struggle for exist
ence and adaptation TO environment al
city dweller, SO that they develop {
kind of internal antitoxin against thi'
disease. There ara on the other hand
certain incIiEations of the Jews to
wards particular diseases, foremos
among which is the inclination t
diabetis. A high rate Of sufferers o
this disease among the Jew has beel
observed everywhere. though the NOR
tally from this illness amongst them il
not so high. There is also a marked
disposition among the Jews to blind
ness in general, and to color blindness
These ~pecularities are due to condition.
such as the marriage of cousins which
is allowed among them Is well as t,
the urban mode Of life.
or the mental diseases a great shar'
falls to h Jew, is quit
high among them, but it Is only tn
lighter kinds such as hysteria. TIL,
percentage Of insane among Jews i
somewhat higher than for other nation
alities. We must not forget howeve
that nervous disturbances is a distinc
tive mark Of our age and civilization
due to feverish n intense life. Who's
life is more feverisl1 and intense thai
the Jews, whose social and legal DO
sition in certain countries is well known
One Of the interesting traits Of tn,
Jews is their %precocity, premature de
velopment is to be noticed in tn
growth Of intellect of Jewish children
as we'll as in their physique. Untimel,
decay is also to be noticed among then
and signs Of old age appear with Jew
at an early period.
The Mental Traits Of tho Jews.
The evolution Of the individuality o
q nation is similar to the growth O
the personality of a single individual
The personality Of an Individual a
any moment in his life is the sum tota
Of all the forces physical, biological
and spiritual, operating from the mo
ment Of his birth, eve before birth
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