Some Facts of Inheritance and their 



Bearing on the Advocated Issue of 



"Marriage Certificates," 



By THE EDITOR. 



The article by Dr. Rutherfurd on a " Family of 

 Degenerates" is of great interest academically and 

 sociologically. The title of the article is that given to 

 it by its author. It is clear, if we carefully read what 

 he writes of this family, that Dr. Rutherfurd was 

 at the time when he made his enquiries, impressed 

 with the degenerate nature of the people whom he 

 was professionally attending. And with a com- 

 mendable enthusiasm for recording facts in order 

 to advance our knowledge of inheritance, he framed 

 the pedigree and drew up the notes, which are now 

 published in this Journal. It is a thankless and 

 tedious task which only men of indomitable courage 

 and great energy ever undertake. 



When Dr. Rutherfurd sent his article to us 

 for publication, an examination of the pedigree 

 accompanying it revealed the fact that he had 

 left all the symbols open ; that is, he had not 

 " blacked in " the symbols that are meant to indicate 

 the degenerate individuals recorded there. He later 

 wrote, while the proofs were passing through his 

 hands, and suggested to us that it would be a 



