MORBID HEREDITY. 399 



manifested by the delay of development and the frequency of 

 morphological anomalies may be established on the basis of ex- 

 perimental facts which are significant although not very numer- 

 ous. We find that in the artificial incubation of eggs certain 

 conditions capable of accelerating the normal development are 

 also susceptible of resisting the retarding and deforming influ- 

 ence of disturbing agencies that came into play previous to incu- 

 bation. 



Darwin has remarked that the reproductive function is the 

 most delicate of all, and is also considerably influenced by the 

 medium ; in spite of a superabundant alimentation, a large num- 

 ber of wild animals become sterile or produce aborted or de- 

 formed offspring by reason simply of being kept in captivity ; 

 domestic animals, on the other hand, become more fruitful under 

 the influence of a better regime. 



If the influences of the medium are reduced simply to modifi- 

 cations of nutrition ; if, on the other side, the embryogenic pro- 

 cesses are of the same nature as the processes of nutrition in 

 general, we may assume that the influences of the medium which 

 are capable of happily modifying the nutrition of a defective 

 organism are likewise capable of putting it in better conditions 

 to contribute to the development of the embryo. 



Finally, observation and experiment indicate that in order to 

 contend with success against morbid heredity and degeneration, 

 which are besides not inevitable, none of the conditions of nutri- 

 tion, none of the influences of the medium capable of acting on 

 the development should be neglected. Translated for The Popular 

 Science Monthly from the Revue des Deux Mondes. 



One day, relates Mr. Murray, the publisher, in Good Words, Mr. Dar- 

 win came to the late Mr. Murray with a manuscript. As he laid it upon 

 the table he said : " Mr. Murray, here is a book that has cost me many 

 years of hard labor; the preparation of it has afforded me the greatest in- 

 terest, but I can hardly hope that it will prove of any interest to the gen- 

 eral public. Will you bring it out for me, as you have my other books ? " 

 It was the work on Earthworms, which had a large and rapid sale. The 

 incident illustrates the modesty of the man. 



A successful experiment in telegraphing by induction without con- 

 necting wires has been performed by Mr. W. H. Preece between Oban and 

 Auchnacraig, Scotland, while the submarine cable was broken. A gutta- 

 percha wire a mile and a half long was laid along the ground from Mor- 

 ven, while on the island of Mull use was made of the ordinary overhead 

 wire connecting Craignure with Aros. The distance between the two 

 parallel wires was about three miles and a half. Using a vibi*ator as trans- 

 mitter, and a telephone as receiver, the usual messages were successfully 

 dealt with till the cable was repaired. 



