Primitive Eugenics. 



Hector Alliot, Sc.D. 



While science has for many years been giving to the world 

 marvelous new vegetables and fruits, evolved for the most 

 pari from insignificant stock, it is very recently that atten- 

 tion has been directed toward the systematic improvement 

 of the children of men. 



In a comparatively brief time the potato (solatium tubero- 

 sum of the botanist an almost wild small tuber cultivated by 

 the Incas of Peru and unknown to the rest of the world, was 

 transformed into the generous sized palatable vegetable that 

 has become the food of millions. In his "Cronica de Peru'". 

 written in 1553, Pedro Cieca predicted that the potato would 

 prove to be "optimum Benigni Numinis donum pauperi panis" 

 (the greatesl gift of the Beneficient Almighty, the bread of 

 the p • but picture his astonishment could he behold the po- 

 tato of today, known and used in every part of the civilized 

 world. We have devoted infinite time and care toward the 

 improvement of animal and vegetable species according to 

 our needs, at the same time we have been singularly neglect- 

 ful of all efforts tending toward the scientific betterment of 

 man himself. Is it not time that this new science of eugenics 

 the well born) should engage our interest .' 



Difficulties attend the consideration of the subject, how- 

 ever, which — in our present conception of the marriage rela- 

 tions — would appear almost insurmountable. To procreate and 

 bring up children possessing certain well determined attri- 

 butes has been the aim and achievement of many aboriginal 

 tribes, and an insight into their mode of procedure may prove 

 enlightening. 



On the American continent a striking example of the 

 efficiency of primitive eugenics is found among the Seri Indi- 

 ans, a tribe of the west coast of Mexico, little known except 

 to ethnological investigators. The rational system of eugenics 

 as evolved by the untutored Seri is practically the same as that 

 employed by other native races of Asia and Africa. In the 

 case of the Seri, however, we have a typical method main- 

 taining itself Longer perhaps than among any other group of 

 individuals, owing no doubt to the rigid and significant re 

 quirements of the system. 



The center of the district which may be called Seri-land 

 is approximately the intersection of parallel 29 with the me- 

 ridian 112°. Half of this lies on the mainland, the other hall' 



