246 NEIL S. DUNGAY. 



may be due in part to the direct action of the alcohol upon the 

 germ-cells ; in case the father alone be alcoholic that his spermato- 

 zoa may be so affected as to induce abnormal development of the 

 ovum fertilized by him. Until recently there has been little 

 evidence to show that such a theory is tenable and more evidence 

 is desirable. The data presented in this paper demonstrate that 

 the sperm cells of Nereis and Arbacia may be so affected by 

 alcohol and by other methods of treatment, that their union 

 with normal eggs will produce an abnormal development. As 

 is shown below, there is evidence of a similar nature in other 

 forms. 



In man the conditions are so complex that they are hard to 

 analyze, especially since we may not resort to direct experiment. 

 Alcohol poisoning may take place in utero, during the nursing 

 period, or even later. Or it may be that the same depressing 

 conditions which caused the parents to drink may react similarly 

 upon the offspring. Many other difficulties also confront the 

 investigator who seeks to solve the problem by the methods of 

 the past. It seems clear that such methods will never give the 

 solution. Definite biological expeA/nent upon the lower animals 

 must form the chief basis for any conclusions which we may 

 make in the future. With this thought in mind the present 

 series of experiments was undertaken in the hope that some 

 definite evidence might be presented upon the subject. 



Although there may sometimes be a suspicion that the data 

 relating to man have been selected with a view of establishing 

 a point rather than seeking the truth, it is worth while to recall 

 a few cases because of their interest in the present connection. 

 Several European investigators (e. g., Schweighofer and Bez- 

 zola) are frequently quoted in the literature as having found that 

 there is a definite relation between the time of the greatest 

 number of stillbirths, abortions, and births of mental defectives, 

 and the great feast seasons, during which much alcohol is con- 

 sumed. From a statistical standpoint such statements have 

 been severely criticized, especially by Pearson and Elderton 

 ('10). There is also little evidence to show that the effect of the 

 alcohol was not exerted upon the developing embryo. Since 

 the effect of the alcohol taken by the mother may be either upon 



