New-York tribune., 1922-06-11
Humidity Probably a Factor,
But As Yet Undetermined

As 10 relative humidity, the exce,, 81 -.
Of which seems certainly factor Of irs,,
tance because Of the well noted energy.r,sb..
effects Of an excess during spring or sum-
months, we know very little The ds.a ,,,s
able are entirely unsatisfactory Tor purpo,,,s
tracing their possible relation % The svav,.,
Of the balance Of male and female birth, v.
Tresckow says.
"As 20 atmospheric electricity" said y.
Tresckow, I'VE spend our existence lt,,,n-
and actually submerged in H. Electricity ia,
aH-pervading as the sir--in fact. more "a 3,
cause electrical disturbances as far ar,y !,
the sun have a very definite effect htrs--y,, y.
know very little about il that is sclertfa,
accurate. Considering the nature o. livi-,
matter, electricity's effects on the eher,,l
makeup and processes Of the human ts.r,
might be seriously supposed 10 be Of psrsmov,
influence.
"The effects Of war-fear and s,ossr,
hsrdship-haye often been noted as produei.,
an increase in the male birth rate, slthc,s
figures are not available. In Bridgeport eeo.
nomic conditions during the war we're not ,u,,
as 10 produce a profound effect, still pr,.
dominance Of male birtn is well marked n
Europe, where these conditions we're Of grs,.
intensity, especially in Italy q great ncrew
in the male birth rate has been noted By IL
yestigators.
THE effect Of disease IS perhaps best ,es
sible Of verifcation with reference 70 is pc..
sible influence on births, and here We find ths.
chronic disease, which materially drains IA,
vitality Of the female, is an almost certain pro
ducer Of male offspring. This factor cor.ose
rates the general theory and also emphasizes
the fact that the important factor Is II
control Of female vitality rather than nk
vitality or that Of both parents IN the pc
determination Of sex.
"This leads 70 the conclusion that q norrt
female and a subnormal male will produce
predominance Of femals offspring. that ssH
normal female and a normal male viii pro
duce a predominance Of male offspring ae
that il both are subnormal predomnsra Il
male offspring will result.
Looking at conditions all over the vfN
Of births leans toward the female side
optimum climates as TO tempersture ard
humidity and that the opposite is true IN very
rigorous climates
Mr.. Tresckow, in considering conditions a.
Bridgeport, has based his observations on ne
birth records for ten years, including son'
10000 births. While these records sre com
plete in themselves, Of course, they do not '>ss
into consideration some details which wouo
have more or less effect on Mr.. TreseAo"
conclusions. For instance, Mr.. TresekoW NM
self points out that Bridgeport, being a manu-
featuring center, was filled with a large hOS''
ing population from outside during tne W"
period There Is no means OF ascertalnlng
just the conditions surrounding these outslc'r
before they came 20 Bridgeport Nor is u
possible TO determine IL the climatic eond'
tions that affected them were at variance wlia
those obtaining at Bridgeport. This vcfs
have some effect on the sex Of the children born
after the parents arrival in Bridgeport, 'e
cording to Mr.. Tresckow's theory.
In loosely carried-on experiments with ehieh'
ems in an incubator and the raising Of raO''"
moisture and temperature have been found
have marked effects, and Mr.. Tresckow thinn
that II is undoubtedly possible to control si
among such animals to a considerable ex'sh'
though lack Of proper facilities and interss
in entirely different lines have made that p'n
of the work Of rather minor significance.
Getting Down to Broader