FEEBLE-MINDEDNESS 289 



either that they represent a primitive, animal-Hke condition 

 of the human race, which has survived down to the present 

 time, or that they represent a retrogressive (loss) variation. 

 The manner of inheritance of the condition is of interest in 

 connection with this question, for evolution by loss usually 

 results in the production of recessive variations. 



Goddard's evidence indicates that feeble-mindedness is a 

 recessive unit-character. In his family records one hundred 

 and forty-four matings of feeble-minded inter se have pro- 

 duced seven hundred and forty-nine children of whom four 

 hundred and eighty-two are of ascertained mentality. Of 

 these, all but six are recorded as feeble-minded. These few 

 exceptions to theoretical expectation might be explained as 

 being of ancestry other than that assigned. A case reported 

 from an Ohio institution illustrates the point well. " In a 

 white family, the father and mother are both feeble-minded. 

 They have twelve children, all feeble-minded but two. These 

 two are normal (as regards intelligence) but they are colored." 



The data of Goddard indicate clearly that feeble-mindedness 

 is inherited as a recessive Mendelian character, but one which 

 like albinism may occur in many different grades, the higher 

 grades probably tending to dominate. The feeble-minded 

 are frequently deficient in physical strength and vigor. How- 

 ever, many of them seem to possess unusually good physique. 

 Goddard compares them to savages with strong bodies but 

 childish minds. The high-grade feeble-minded, known as 

 *' morons," with mentality of eleven or twelve years, are 



