112 



The Journal of Heredity 



searches and to show the distinction forces aj^art from the other, which latter 



between measurinj; heredity with en- class of researches, I belie\'e, will more 



vironment, both inextricably working and more build tij) a true practical 



together, and measuring either of these science of eugenics. 



Race Hygiene in Germany 



Widespread interest is aroused Ijy the 

 war for all questions relating to eugenics 

 and race hygiene. The aim is chiefly 

 positive, i. e., directed towards the 

 higher propagation of the fit. A large 

 number of \'aluable pamphlets have 

 appeared on the market and several new 

 societies have been founded. Besides 

 the "Deutsche Gesellschaft fiir Rassen- 

 hygiene (Miinchen)," with several locals 

 in the emjjire, there exists now a well 

 organized "Deutsche Gesellschaft fiir 

 Bevolkerungspolitik" with headquarters 

 in Berlin, which mainly wants to check 

 the declining birth rate. In Halle the 

 "Gesellschaft fiir die Erhaltung und 

 Mehrung der deutschen \'olkskraft," in 

 Diisseldorf, the "Gesellschaft fiir Fami- 

 lienwohl" and in Frankfurt the "Rhein- 

 Mainische Gesellschaft fiir Bevolker- 

 ungspolitik" follow the same course. A 

 central organization of man\' societies 

 of different character (laljor unions, 

 women's organizations, Christian clubs, 

 etc.) but all interested in race hygiene 

 was called into life, the affairs being 

 carried on temporarily by the "Deuts- 

 cher SittHchkeitsverein" in Berlin-Plotz- 

 ensee. This central organ largel>' 

 represents societies which see in race 

 hygiene and eugenics a moral question. 

 Great masses of the average jKjjnilation 

 stand behind the societies affiliated. 



One of the consequences of the war is 

 that more stress is being laid upon the 

 moral side of the question and the 

 greatest enemy of po.sitive eugenics is 

 seen in the egoism and luxury of modern 

 life which destroy the family and check 

 the birth rate. 



Of negative eugenics the question is 

 much debated whether and how the 

 marriage of people afflicted \vith vene- 

 real diseases should be checked. No 

 haphazard legislation is wanted. For 

 instance the Arzteverein in Munchen 

 discussed this question about a year 

 ago, but \A'ithout reaching a conclusion. 

 The best solution seems to be that all 

 veneral diseases be made declarable, 

 that every person afflicted with such a 

 disease be obliged to cure himself, that 

 the contamination of another person 

 with venereal disease be made a crime 

 and that people declared to be afflicted 

 with a contagious \'encreal disease be 

 ]3rohibited from marriage. The German 

 conce])tion of race hygiene, as is seen 

 also in this case, embraces more than 

 the American idea of pure eugenics, as 

 it is thought that eugenics and other 

 l^hases of social life are linked together 

 in a way which demands a common 

 consideration of all our social institu- 

 tions from the \newi)oint of the benefit 

 of future generations. 



G. vox HoFF.MAW. Berlin. 



ANIMAL MICROLOGY. Practical cxtr- 

 cises in zcjolc^^ical niicrotcchni(]uc', by Michael 

 F. Ciuytr, Professor of Zoology in the Univer- 

 sity of Wisconsin. With a chapter on (Irawins 

 by P21izabetii H. Smith, Instructor in Zoology 

 in the University of Wisconsin. Pj). 290, 

 with 74 figures. Revised edition, price 

 S2 net, postage extra. Weight 1 11). 10 oz. 

 Chicago, the University of Chicago Press, 1917. 



Dr. Guyer's handbook has now been 

 in use for ten years and is generally 

 recognized as one of the most practical 

 and satisfactory works on microsco])ic 

 technicjue which has been written. It 



The Microscope in Zoology 



is intended ijrimarily for the beginner, 

 but will be found useful by anyone who 

 does microscopical work. This new 

 edition contains descrii)tions of many 

 new methods, and a cha])ter on cytology 

 which gives full directions for study of 

 chromosomes. Geneticists are coming 

 more and more to realize that their 

 breeding work should be checked up 

 by the use of the tnicroscojie. and Dr. 

 Guyer's book should be of much \alue 

 to them. 



