DOES ACQUIRED VIGOR COUNT? 209 



organisms; the hypothesis is that this is reflected 

 in increased initial vigor in the offspring. Filled 

 with enthusiasm for this theory unproved though 

 it be Mr. Bonhote looks forward to far-reaching 

 effects on mankind when the importance of nurture 

 is realized. " When it is once realized that char- 

 acters may be largely eliminated by environment, 

 if brought to bear early enough, we have open to our 

 vision possibilities far greater than any offered by 

 the actual work of Mendel." This much of quota- 

 tion will seem to many so profane that we dare not 

 continue it. From our point of view it is not in 

 any way profitable to pit against one another the 

 correlated concepts of " nature " and " nurture." 

 We believe that any nurture which contributes to 

 the development of vigor in the sense indicated 

 in the beginning of this article must be progressive, 

 and that it cannot begin too soon, since it is an 

 individual reward in itself, apart from any off- 

 chance of influencing offspring. 



We know experimentally that germ-cells in the 

 body of the parent organism may be in a general 

 way deteriorated by various influences, such as 

 those of radium or alcohol. But we know also that 

 it is scientifically dangerous to argue from Rotifer 

 to Man, even from Guinea-pig to Man. What is 

 certain, however, is that the vigor of the mother 

 during the time of ante-natal symbiosis with her 

 child is of far-reaching importance. 



