162 Alcoholized Rats 



said that the results are as yet altogether in agree- 

 ment, but they are very interesting and sometimes 

 surprising. We wish to refer to a few. 



In the early stages of the experiments, some of 

 which have been continued for a dozen years, the mis- 

 take was made of giving the animals alcohol along 

 with their food or drink. The effect on the treated 

 individuals was very bad and their progeny were also 

 deteriorated. It soon became plain, however, that the 

 experiment was hopelessly complicated by the diges- 

 tive disturbances that set in, which wrecked the health 

 of the animals and influenced the vigor of their 

 progeny. It is true that the digestive disturbances 

 were due to the alcohol, but the point of the experi- 

 ment was too blunt. It did not discriminate between 

 the intoxicating and the dyspeptic influences. 



Thus there arose the method of administering the 

 alcohol by inhalation. The food and drink were left 

 uncontaminated, but the animals were subjected 

 several times a day to fumes of alcohol which rose 

 through the floor of their cage. They inhaled the 

 fumes in breathing, and though they became intoxi- 

 cated, they did not become dyspeptic. In some cases, 

 indeed, they did not seem a whit the worse for their 

 daily doses. 



Yet the remarkable result became evident that, 

 while the treated guinea-pigs showed no injury to 

 their health, or impairment of their vigor, or shorten- 

 ing of their life, their offspring were distinctly differ- 

 ent from those of individuals that had not been 

 treated. And the differences (to be afterwards re- 



