The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-09-10
THE SINISTER AsIATIC STRAIN

THE SINISTER AsIATIC STRAIN
 Recently we endeavored to ex- plain firmly but gently how the cunning little genes in the chro- matin material fin the nucleus or heart of the germ-plasm of the fertilized ovum determine such characteristics as eye color, grade of intelligence, stature, tempera- ment, artistic taste or what have you. Unfortunately this little lesson in eugenics or heredity compelled us to cite the legend of the birth of c black or negroid child to white or apparently white parents -a "throWback" due to some ad- mixture of negro blood @ few gen. erations back. We said this never happens.
 The first generation offspring of pure negro and pure white is mulatto, though popularly this term is loosely applied to any person of mixed Caucasian and Negro blood. The offspring of mulatto and white is quadroon. The offspring of quadroon and white is octoroon The offspring of octroon and white is practically as pure white as any of us may prove ourselves. Only in old wives tales Is the child ever more negroid in type or appearance than the Srnore negroid parent. In real life the child is generally not so dark as the darker parent.
 Already the usual shower of protests has started, readers writ ing in to assure me I am in error, and some of them sign their names, but most of them write anonymous ly and abusively. It is noticeable that the honest ones, who sign their names and give their correct address, cite only hearsay instances of the birth of a black child to white parents or a white child to negro parents; the ones who say they have seen such happenings with their own eyes prefer not to divulge their identity.
 One outstanding individual, now deceased, epoused the "throw. back" superstition in his published writings time and again. His quaint explanation for the condition oi idiocy which physicians call mon. golism," the cause of which no. body knows, was that there must have lurked somewhere in the ear. Her part of the family pedigree g Chinaman or maybe a geisha girl It would be as sensible to infer that, since the baby is red and says Oof-Oof his great great grandma must have been an Indian.
 Mongolian idiocy or mongolism happens now and then in any fam fly and without known cause. The condition is so called because the child has a Mongolian type of skull and face. slanting eyes. nar- row opening between eyelids, stubby upturned nose. head round and small. The figures and toes are casually short and the little fingers curve in. The joints are all more than ordinarily loose (double- jointed), and knock-knee and flat. foot is common. Mongolian idiots are cheerful in disposition, even. tempered, g00d-natured as a rule, but stubborn in some things. They are affectionate, and often show great genius In simple music or Thythm--though not all of the pEes- ent plague of rhythm kings are this kind of imbeeiles. The voice is gen- erally gntleFal. Most bongolinn idiots may be taught to read and write and do simple WoFk under supervision. 1 repeat. no one knows the cause Of Monaollan idl0cy Such . child may be born ili the best Of families, and may be the laet.boFn of Q family q perfectly normal children.