liEW FACTS IN ALCOHOLIC HEREDITY. 529 



thrown down a steep embankment. The car-side was broken in, 

 and both were thrown out, only a little bruised. In a few mo- 

 ments one was fully intoxicated. The other, the narrator, could 

 not understand this state or explain it in any way. From these 

 and other statements which I have gathered I conclude that these 

 cases are not infrequent, but, from want of accurate observation 

 and the difficulty of obtaining the facts, they are overlooked. As 

 far as it could be determined, I think that every case had a promi- 

 nent substratum of direct heredity from inebriate ancestors. In 

 the partial history of some of these cases some form of brain-ex- 

 haustion was present, and the shock or paralysis brought to light 

 the special pathological symptoms of alcoholic poisoning. It 

 would be foolish to deny that this was a special nerve and brain 

 defect transmitted from the parents, and only came to light from 

 the action of some particular cause. 



In the case of a total abstainer, who, during some state of ex- 

 citement, manifested all the symptoms of intoxication, where be- 

 yond doubt he had not used any form of alcohol, and where ine- 

 briety existed in the ancestors, it would be, a most reasonable 

 conclusion to infer an origin in heredity, which burst into ac- 

 tivity in obedience to some unknown exciting cause. From this 

 point many and varied questions start up, which future observa- 

 tions and studies alone can determine. I think these cases are of 

 the same class as idiots and imbeciles, with special symptoms of 

 alcoholic poisoning, as a direct heredity from the parents ; any 

 difference being simply in the fact that these special pathological 

 defects are dormant, but only appear from the action of some 

 peculiar cause. This seemingly represents the conditions of the 

 parents at the time of conception or some antenatal impression. 

 The second class of acquired toxic states have less of mystery, 

 and are more common. They are of the class of men who have 

 been inebriates or intoxicated, and have become total abstainers, 

 but from the same unknown causes suddenly manifest all the old 

 signs of intoxication. Some factor of heredity is present, and 

 possibly some nerve-tracts, along which abnormal energy has 

 been very active in the past, may come into prominence again. 

 An outline of some cases will bring out these facts : 



First Case. — The superintendent of a factory, a man who had 

 been temperate and sober for fifteen years, his conduct and char- 

 acter beyond all reproach, was engaged to be married, under cir- 

 cumstances of great promise. . The day of the wedding the bride 

 received a letter, warning her against him, saying that he was a 

 secret drinker and a bad man otherwise. This she sent to him by 

 the hand of her brother. After reading it, he showed all the 

 signs of intoxication, and went to bed. The wedding was post- 

 poned, and he afterward asserted so positively his innocence that 



70L. XXXIV. 34 



