NERVOUS DISORDERS. 37 



theories, especially when those facts are to be 

 the basis or proof of a further theory. 



Mr. Spencer also points out that he finds among 

 physicians "the belief that nervous disorders 

 of a less severe kind are inheritable " a general 

 belief which does not necessarily include the trans- 

 mission of purely artificially-produced disorders, 

 and so misses the point which is really at issue. 

 He proceeds, however, to state more definitely 

 that " men who have prostrated their nervous sys- 

 tems by prolonged overwork or in some other way, 

 have children more or less prone to nervousness." 

 The following observations will, I think, warrant 

 at least a suspension of judgment concerning 

 this particular form of use-inheritance. 



(i) The nervousness is seen in the children at 

 an early age, although the nervous prostration 

 from which it is supposed to be derived obviously 

 occurs in the parent at a much later period of 

 life. This change in time is contrary to the rule 



