The Catholic bulletin., 1917-09-22
DOMAIN OF TEMPERANCE
is ALCOHOL A RACE PolsoNa

Everybody knows that we have far
| too many mental and physical defec-
tives, too many criminals, too many
| goOd-for-nothings. But outside of
| these we have far too many men and
| women of mediocre calibre, and far
| too few of those shining lights that
rise above the mental level of the
crowd.
| The problem is without doubt COM
plex. But there is good reason to
suspect that the chronic poisoning of
| the human race through narcotics, par
ticularly through alcohol and tobacco,
has been in part responsible for our
failure in the matter of racial devel-
opment
| If parental alcoholism is responsible
for the production of inferior Off
spring, it is because of some injury
to, or change in, the parental germ
cell. The chromatic material, or
chromosomes, in the germ cells carry
those potential qualities which we
call ''heredity.' If this chromatic
material is healthy, hereditary quail
ties are transmitted in normal man
ner. But it is possible to injure the
chromosomes through poisoning or
devitalizing influences. There are
various infectious diseases which are
capable of accomplishing such re-
suit, temporarily at least. Alcohol ap-
pears to be most conspicuous race
poison, having an injurious effect
upon the germ cell.
Various studies have been carried
on with the idea of developing the
facts of the case. Probably the most
interesting and convincing have been
those of DR.. Charles r. Stockard, Pro-
fessor of Anatomy, Cornell University
Medical College, New York. DR..
Stockard carried on series of ex-
periments on guinea pigs, extending
over a period of more than five years,
which demonstrated a definite injury
to the germ cells at least in these ami
mails, as result of alcoholic treat
ment. The results in the form of ster-
ility, early mortality, and weakness,
deformity and nervous diseases in the
survivors, followed uniformly, wheth-
er the alcohol treatment was admin
istered to either parent or to both.
Interesting Experiment.
DR.. Stockard, through these expert
ments, further showed that not only
did the immediate descendants of the
alcoholized animals suffer in this way,
but that the second, third and fourth
generations, although themselves not
, treated with alcohol, had retained
the power of transmitting the condi-
tions of weakness or defect, in turn,
to their young. In fact, the grand
children showed degeneracy to an
extent even greater than that of the
lied guinea pigs.
An interesting development which
tends to emphasize the race poison
ing effect of alcohol, is found in the
fact that the animals treated did not
themselves appear to suffer in any
marked degree. That is, the direct
effects of the alcohol aside from
the temporary drowsiness, stupidity,
or stimulation of the animals, did
not involve any material impairment
of their general health The alco-
, holized animals were usually fat,
but, otherwise, apparently in fairly
good condition. The fact that the Off
spring of these animals suffered
seems to suggest that the injury to
the germ-plasm is out of all proper
tion to the visible impairment of the
health of the alcohol consumer him
SELF 1t leads one to the conclusion
that even though man may person
ally withstand the destructive in
fluence of alcohol with considerable
success he may, nevertheless. be en-
tirely unfit for parenthood.
On the whole the case against
parental alcoholism seems fairly
well established.
No one lives for himself alone.
No one can say that what he does is
his own business. He cannot say
that if he wishes to drink it is his
!. own affair. Each one is not only
responsible for his personal welfare
!. but he is at the same time the Gus
todian of the health and lives of fu-
ture representatives of the race.
: One has no right to poison or des-
troy the life of the race of which
; he-being the link between the past
and the future-between ancestry
,, and posterity is the temporary
guardian.
John Scott Wales. in Sent. Physical Culture.
|, | =t