196 Kansas Academy of Science. 



tion, on reaching the cerebral hemispheres of the brain, find 

 their well-worn tracks, with switches already set, leading to 

 the God-given higher possessions of the soul-holy memories, 

 pure imaginations, concentrated ambition, righteous judg- 

 ments, and a will whose nerve connection with these higher 

 faculties is so perfect that at once, unless the line of duty 

 present complications requiring consideration, the commands 

 for right conduct are flashed out through the outgoing nerve- 

 tracks and instantly obeyed." General Wheeler, while in 

 command at Santiago, beautifully illustrated this thought. 

 When he saw the Spaniards fleeing before his forces he 

 shouted, "Forward, boys, the Yankees are running." A brain- 

 path had been established and the expression ran along that 

 line. We find three essentials necessary in special training of 

 the muscular system — definite purpose, vigorous and normal 

 action, and regularity, stopping short of exhaustion. This 

 method applied to the brain will develop and strengthen it. 

 The same is true of character-building. (It would be interest- 

 ing to continue these illustrations, but I feel that it is not nec- 

 essary.) 



Heredity includes all laws, factors and forces which enter 

 into the origin and determine the character of the new life. 

 Insanity, of necessity, comes under this head. What is it? 

 Shakespeare said: "To define true madness, what is it but 

 to be mad." This is not a definition; many attempts have 

 been made to define insanity, but failure has crowned each 

 effort. Perhaps we could say that insanity is but a manifes- 

 tation of impaired and disabled brain mechanism in its re- 

 lation to mental functions. I think the trend of medical prog- 

 ress is steadily in this direction. Scientific knowledge which 

 enables one to generalize fundamental principles of universal 

 applicability is comparatively a new phase of human develop- 

 ment. I care not what our conclusion may be, it is evident 

 that when the insane taint becomes established it is trans- 

 mitted from generation to generation; that this condition ex- 

 ists until the family degenerate or are extinct. Doubtless a 

 large per cent, of those who become mentally unbalanced are 

 a product of neurotic, drunken, insane, feeble-minded, scrofu- 

 litic or consumptive parentage. If time would permit, we 

 could enter into minute detail and establish, as we believe, 

 the above hypothesis. Lambroso, a reliable authority, states 

 that "insanity is frequently transmitted; that even in sue- 



