MODIFICATION OF THE GERM-CELLS IN MAMMALS 137 



he attributed to a condition of general depression in the parents, 

 hut more clearly to a peculiar action of the strange chemica ma- 

 terial in the blood upon the glands of reproduction or the germ 

 cells of the males and females. 



In his study of the influence of alcohol inhalation on the do- 

 mestic fowl, Pearl has found the treated individuals to respond 

 in a way closel}^ similar to our treated guinea-pigs. He has 

 fortunately reported his results in much more thorough detail 

 than we, yet the facts contained are practically the same for 

 the two groups of animals. The mortality records of treated 

 fowls show an advantage over similar records from untreated 



Fio. 3 Two male guinea-pigs. One on the left the normal animal, No. 150, 

 more than four years old. On the right, No. 70 cf , more than five years old and 

 had been treated with alcohol fumes for four years and two months. 



control. Our card catalogue contains the record of every death 

 that has occurred among the guinea-pigs since the beginning of 

 the experiments, and we may state in a general way that the 

 mortality statistics for the treated animals is certainly as good 

 and perhaps slightly better than those of the control. 



Pearl has \Try naturally considered these findings in connection 

 with the "widespread popular opinion that life-insurance statis- 

 tics have 'proved' that even the most moderate use of alcohol 

 definitely and measurably shortens human life." On careful 

 investigation of the statistics Pearl finds them to be entirely un- 

 convincing and to be based on biological evidence insufficient to 

 prove anything. This is exactly in line with our own experi- 



