The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1921-09-06

SCIENTIST etadu- sd-g hw Berkeley, Cal, Sept. 6-A gradual deterioration is taking place in the human race.
 The deterioration is due to: Bott1e-fed babies:
 '1ndo1ence'' of the better class of
 women in rearing children.
 Employment of large numbers or
 women in office work.
 Crossing of the races. Inherited effects of alcohol. Modern environmental agencies or industry and city life. These are the conclusions reached by Dr. Samuel J. Holmes, professor
 of zoology at the University of Cali fornia in his latest book, "rFhe Trend
 of the Race" In this, volume pr. American people and mankind and presents the results of intensive study and investigation of the race
 Factors noted in tracing the de- terioration include increasing difficult ty experienced in bearing children; frequent inability of women to nurse their children; the growing frequency
 of suicide; decrease in stature; 1n= creasing dental irreg1riarities ana ten dency to badness; loss of use of ear muscles and degeneration of the little toe.
 "It is a fairly general opinion, which has a considerable following In medical circles, that the physique Of modern civilized women has become rather seriously weakened in the aast few generations" says Dr. Holmes. "Our index of this is the 1ncreaslng difficulty experienced in bearing chll- dren The asse with which women of primitive races bear children has | often been remarked upon u IS not improbable that this matter mas been undu1y exaggerated. Child bearing is easier, however, among women who are used to moderate amount of physical labor.
 1 Undoubtedly the life of modern
 women. especially those of the more
 well-to-do. classes, is not favorable to
 easy chi1d-bearing. The employment l of large numbers of women m seoen- tary occupations, such as steno, graphy, office work, etc. cannot Iaii Efo multiply the troubles of ch1id-
 birth. ,,o.1 l defect of modern woman is her Ire uuent inability to nurse children Those who have lived among primi- | five peoples have frequently com i mented on the almost universal apli- 1 ity of mothers to feed their children
 at the breast Ana among anro- 1 lions nursed their children mucn 1 more frequent1y than the women or | the present time
 .eNTanv women are disipcnned, also, | +o nurse their children for at least a very long time in these days Of art1l- | ciaI substitutes for mothers milk The | fact that the proportion or women 7I | unable to nurse their children Is usu. l ally greater in cities than in rural districts, points to the potency or en-
 vironmental influences for this change
 in natural conditionsT
 1 The inherited effects of alcohol Dr. | Holmes gives as one of the probaple ~easo1s for the alleged degeneracy or | r,odern women Increase in crime,
 inclndins murders and suicides, he
 declares is also held to follow m the
 wake of inherited degeneraces' | In this regard he says:
 | --rThe growing frequency of suicide fs often regarded as connected Wlt9 | the alleged increase of insanity ana
 nervous disorders ana nenGe tiore It N is also explained as the results oA | changing environment. which is com II rnonTv held to be productive or iiole @ nervous strain than In previous
 Other effects of modern, civilization | on the human race Dr. Holmes points i out as follows: o+ men are affected considerably by en- yironmental saencies. The latIer are especially prone to dnhuence 't strength, longevity, rate or 5oosas EroMen
 the prevalence of varIous ++,ra ulseaspS and
 weirht HiaG Conditions of life, especial | lv in large industrial centers, nave Ii changed in such a way as greatly to af
 as +ba inbahitants The relatively low stature of city dwellers is proba- bly due largely to this cause.
 .rLt is not improbable that many Il dental irregularities and malad1ust-
 ments are the result of racial cross. ing With more or less independen1
 +aTiahiIitv of jaws and teeth it often II happens that teeth are unduly crowd II cd in small jaws or are otherwise out of normal relations.
 .A1cne with the deterioration or Ii teeth there seems to be a correlatiTe II tendency to the loss of ha1r. 0diu- | ness is much more common to us II than among primitive races Aftnough this is commonly ascribed to the il wearing of hats, recent studies have shown that this infrmity depends largely on ancestry and the lnnuence
 of hats is largely exaggerated
 'sWe have all hut lost the use of l some of our muscles and entirely lost
 the use of others, but we are no worse off in our present mode or life | Our little toe is said to be degenerat- ' ing, and there are probably several