186 THE LAW OF BIRTHS AND DEATHS 



found that " an exclusive diet of milled rice causes, after 

 about thirty days, a complete suppression of the function 

 of spermatogenesis," and also that " one of the most 

 remarkable results of a dietary deficient in so-called 

 ' anti-neuritic ' vitamines is the constant and very pro- 

 nounced atrophy of the testicles in males and the similar 

 but less pronounced atrophy of the ovaries in females." 1 

 But what is most important to ascertain is whether there 

 is an optimum point for fertility with these vitamines 

 as with other food factors. 



Some interesting possibilities are suggested by the 

 following passage from Buchan's Domestic Medicine, 

 published in 1813, or over a hundred years ago, and it 

 is significant to note that the same influences which are 

 at work in an accentuated form to-day had been noticed 

 even then, and that some of the most promising remedies 

 were also known. "It is very certain that high living 

 vitiates the humours and prevents fecundity. We seldom 

 find a barren woman amongst the poor, while nothing 

 is more common among the rich and affluent. The 

 inhabitants of every country are prolific in proportion to 

 their poverty ; and it would be an easy matter to adduce 

 many instances of women who, by being reduced to 

 living entirely upon milk and vegetable diet, have con- 

 ceived and brought forth children, though they never 

 had any before. Would the rich use the same sort of 

 food and exercise as the better sort of peasants, they 

 would seldom have any cause to envy their poor vassals 

 and dependents the blessings of a numerous and healthy 

 offspring, while they pine in sorrow for want of a single 

 heir to their extensive domains. 



" Affluence begets indolence, which not only vitiates 



1 Indian Journal of Medical Research, Robert McCarrison, January, 

 1919. 



