Part 5 (2/2)

More recently another German physician has advanced the theory that the s.e.x may be controlled at will by observing the time of fecundation.

He a.s.serts that when fecundation occurs shortly after menstruation, the result will be a female; but if impregnation occurs later in the month, and prior to the three or four days preceding the next menstrual period, a male will almost certainly be produced. This theory was proposed by Prof. Thury of the academy of Geneva, who claims to have thoroughly tested it in a great variety of ways, and always with an affirmative result. Dr. Heitzman, of New York, an instructor in pathological histology, and an eminent physiologist, informs us that he has thoroughly tested this theory, and finds it to be entirely reliable. There are numerous facts which seem to corroborate the truth of this theory, and future investigations may give to it the dignity of an established physiological fact.

Heredity.--The phenomena of heredity are among the most interesting of biological studies. It is a matter of common observation that a child looks like its parents. It even happens that a child resembles an uncle or a grandparent more nearly than either parent. The same peculiarities are often seen in animals.

The cause of this resemblance of offspring to parents and ancestors has been made a subject of careful study by scientific men. We shall present the most recent theory adopted, which, although it be but a theory, presents such an array of facts in its support, and explains the phenomena in question so admirably, that it must be regarded as something more than a plausible hypothesis. It is the conception of one of the most distinguished scientists of the age. The theory is known as the doctrine of _pangenesis_, and is essentially as follows:--

It is a fact well known to physiologists that every part of the living body is made up of cellular elements which have the power to reproduce themselves in the individual, thus repairing the damage resulting from waste and injury. Each cell produces cells like itself. It is further known that there are found in the body numerous central points of growth.

In every group of cells is found a central cell from which the others originated, and which determines the form of their growth. Every minute structure possesses such a center. A simple proof of this fact is found in the experiment in which the spur of a c.o.c.k was grafted upon the ear of an ox. It lived in this novel situation eight years, attaining the length of nine inches, and nearly a pound in weight. A tooth has been made to grow upon the comb of a c.o.c.k in a similar manner. The tail of a pig survived the operation of transplanting from its proper position to the back of the animal, and retained its sensibility. Numerous other similar ill.u.s.trations might be given.

The doctrine of pangenesis supposes that these centers of nutrition form and throw off not only cells like themselves, but very minute granules, called gemmules, each of which is capable, under suitable circ.u.mstances, of developing into a cell like its parent.

These minute granules are scattered through the system in great numbers.

The essential organs of generation, the t.e.s.t.i.c.l.es in the male and the ovaries in the female, perform the task of collecting these gemmules and forming them into sets, each of which const.i.tutes a reproductive element, and contains, in rudimentary form, a representative of every part of the individual, including the most minute peculiarities. Even more than this: It is supposed that each ovum and each zoosperm contains not only the gemmules necessary to reproduce the individuals who produced them, but also a number of gemmules which have been transmitted from the individuals' ancestors.

If this theory be true,--and we can see no sound objection to it,--it is easy to understand all the problems of heredity. The gemmules must be very small indeed, but it may be suggested that the molecules of matter are smaller still, so this fact is no objection to the theory.

It will be seen, then, that each spermatozoon, or zoosperm, actually contains, in an embryonic condition, every organ and tissue of the individual producing it. The same is true of the ovum. In other words, the reproductive elements are complete representatives, in miniature, of the parents, and contain all the elements for producing an offspring possessing the same peculiarities as the parents. Various modifying circ.u.mstances sufficiently explain the dissimilarities between parents and children.

This theory is strikingly confirmed by the fact, previously mentioned, that in certain cases the ovum alone, a single reproductive element, may undergo a degree of development approaching very near to completion.

It is supposed that fecundation is chiefly necessary to give to the gemmules the requisite amount of nourishment to insure development.

As we shall see hereafter, this matter has a very important bearing upon several practical questions.

Ante-Natal Influences.--There can be no manner of doubt that many circ.u.mstances which it is entirely within the power of the parents to supply, exert a powerful influence in molding both the mental and the physical characteristics of offspring. By carefully availing himself of the controlling power given him by a knowledge of this fact, the stock-raiser is enabled to produce almost any required quality in his young animals. Pigeon fanciers show wonderful skill in thus producing most curious modifications in birds. The laws of heredity and development are carefully studied and applied in the production of superior horses, cows, dogs, and pigeons; but an application of the same principles to the improvement of the human race is rarely thought of. Human beings are generated in as haphazard and reckless a manner as weeds are sown by the wind. No account is taken of the possible influence which may be exerted upon the future destiny of the new being by the physical or mental condition of parents at the moment when the germ of life is planted, or by the mental and physical conditions and surroundings of the mother while the young life is developing. Indeed, the a.s.sertion of a modern writer that the poor of our great cities virtually ”sp.a.w.n children,” with as little thought of influences and consequences as the fish that sow their eggs broadcast upon the waters, is not so great an exaggeration as it might at first sight appear to be.

Law Universal.--Men and women are constantly p.r.o.ne to forget that the domain of law is universal. Nothing comes by chance. The revolutions of the planets, studied by the aid of the telescope, and the gyrations of the atoms, seen only by the eye of science, are alike examples of the controlling influence of law. Notwithstanding this sad ignorance and disregard of this vitally important subject, the effects of law are only too clearly manifested in the crowds of wretched human beings with which the world is thronged. An old writer sagely remarks, ”It is the greatest part of our felicity to be well born;” nevertheless, it is the sad misfortune of by far the greater portion of humanity to be deprived of this inestimable ”felicity.”

A Source of Crime.--Who can tell how many of the liars, thieves, drunkards, murderers, and prost.i.tutes of our day are less responsible for their crimes against themselves, against society, and against Heaven, than those who were instrumental in bringing them into the world? Almost every village has its boy ”who was born drunk,” a staggering, simpering, idiotic representative of a drunken father, beastly intoxicated at the very moment when he should have been most sober.

An interesting study of this question has recently been made by Mr.

Dugdale, a member of the Prison a.s.sociation of the State of New York.

When visiting the various jails of the State, he found in one six persons detained for crimes of various character, between all of whom there was a family relation. Upon further inquiry, he found that of the same family there were twenty-nine relatives in the vicinity, seventeen of whom were criminals. Still further investigation developed the following facts:--

Within seventy-five years, a family of 1200 persons have sprung from five sisters, several of whom were illegitimate, and three of whom were known to be unchaste, and who married men whose father was an idle, thriftless hunter, a hard drinker, and licentious.

Of this family, the history of but 709 was traced. Of these, the facts set forth in the following incomplete summary were found to be true:--

Paupers, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280 Years of pauperism, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 798 Criminals, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140 Years of infamy, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 750 Thieves, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Murderers, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Prost.i.tutes and adulteresses, . . . . . . . . . . . 165 Illegitimate children, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 No. of persons contaminated by syphilitic disease, . 480 Cost to the State in various ways, . . . . . $1,308,000

Without doubt a complete summary would make this showing still more appalling, since of the 709 whose histories were traced, it was in many instances impossible to determine whether the individuals were guilty of crime or unchast.i.ty or not, even where there were grounds for suspicion. Such cases were not included in the summary.

No amount of argument on this question could be so conclusive as are these simple facts concerning the ”Juke” family. It is certainly high time that our legislators began to awaken to this subject, and consider whether it would be an unprofitable experiment to make some attempt to prevent the multiplication of criminals in this manner. We are not prepared to offer a plan for securing such an end; but it is very clearly important that something should be done in this direction.

It is an established physiological fact that the character of offspring is influenced by the mental as well as the physical conditions of the parents at the moment of the performance of the generative act. In view of this fact, how many parents can regard the precocious--or even mature--manifestations of s.e.xual depravity in their children without painful smitings of conscience at seeing the legitimate results of their own sensuality? By debasing the reproductive function to an act of selfish animal indulgence, they imprinted upon their children an almost irresistible tendency to vice. Viewing the matter from this stand-point, what wonder that licentiousness is rife! that true chast.i.ty is among the rarest of virtues!

Prof. O. W. Holmes remarks on this subject: ”There are people who think that everything may be done if the doctor, be he educator or physician, be only called in season. No doubt; but _in season_ would often be a hundred or two years before the child was born, and people never send so early as that.” ”Each of us is only the footing up of a double column of figures that goes back to the first pair. Every unit tells, and some of them are _plus_ and some _minus_. If the columns don't add up right, it is commonly because we can't make out all of the figures.”

It cannot be doubted that the throngs of deaf, blind, crippled, idiotic unfortunates who were ”born so,” together with a still larger cla.s.s of dwarfed, diseased, and const.i.tutionally weak individuals, are the lamentable results of the violation of some s.e.xual law on the part of their progenitors.

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