276 HEREDITY AND DISEASE 



parental alcoholism considered, if that be possible, by itself has 

 a hereditary influence on the offspring. 



Many facts point to the conclusion that what the intemperate 

 member of an intemperate lineage inherits is the weakness which 

 led the parent to become alcoholic. It does not matter whether 

 we call this a lack of will-power or a neuropathic or psychopathic 

 tendency. It is a heritable constitutional defect, as is clearly 

 illustrated in cases where the parent did not acquire the alcoholic 

 habit until after he had ceased having children. Let us quote 

 two great authorities. Dr. T. S. Clouston observes, " It was not 

 the craving for alcohol that was inherited, but a general psycho- 

 pathic constitution in which the alcoholic stimulus is an undue 

 stimulus, and the mental control deficient." Prof. F. W. Mott 

 writes, " An inherited weak will-power and lack of moral sense 

 may be transmitted, whereby the individual is more susceptible 

 to temptation and imitation, and in this way environment plays 

 an all-important part." 



(7) Dr. Archdall Reid has elaborated with great ability the 

 interesting thesis that alcoholism promotes temperance. The 

 most temperate races are those that have been habituated to the 

 use of alcohol for the longest time, during which those who have 

 an abnormal tendency to intemperance or an abnormal suscepti- 

 bility to alcohol have been weeded out, leaving a more controlled 

 and more resistent stock. He points out how intemperate families 

 rapidly work themselves out. 



(8) In this connection reference should be made to a very inter- 

 esting point raised by Prof. F. W. Mott, How is it that a chronic 

 alcoholic often has offspring mentally and physically sound ? 

 It is probable that we have here an instance of the stability of 

 the germ-plasm in spite of even violent environmental assaults. 

 It is probable also that we have to distinguish between men who 

 become alcoholic through deep-seated constitutional defect and 

 those who have not this excuse. What Mott says is this : " The 

 question is wrapped up in the causes which lead a man or woman 



