GERM CELLS DAMAGED BY ALCOHOL 123 



that in some months the proportion of idiots born was much 

 larger than in other months. This was quite a clue. 



Next he looked up the life history of 8196 feeble-minded 

 persons who lived in Swiss asylums, and made note of the 

 birthday of each one of them. He wished to know when the 

 children were born, so that he could count backwards forty 

 weeks * and find out just when the babies began to develop 

 from germ cells. He thought this might show him what the 

 condition of the parents was at the time. 



He tells us that in Switzerland there are certain definite 

 seasons each year when what he calls " drink-festivities " are 

 most abundant New Year's and carnival, the vintage and 

 the harvest seasons. Dr. Bezzola speaks of these as alcohol- 

 rich periods. 



From July to September, however, wealthy people and poor 

 people alike are drinking less. They are busy with summer 

 travelers and summer occupations ; they keep regular hours 

 with fewer festivities. These are the alcohol-poor months. 

 , With his facts in mind Dr. Bezzola turned to the birthdays 

 again. His chart of results is given on the next page. 



Follow the lines from left to right. Notice how they 

 move up during certain months and down during other 

 months. By understanding this chart we are able to under- 

 stand the substance of the report which Dr. Bezzola made. 



1 . When alcohol festivities are most abundant in Switzer- 

 land, the largest proportion of weak-minded children receive 

 the gift of life. What is true of Switzerland is no doubt 

 equally true everywhere else in the world. 



2. In large numbers of cases alcohol and weak-minded- 

 ness stand together as cause and effect. 



1 Time needed for a baby to develop from two germ cells. See last 

 chapter. 



