30 HEREDITY AND CHRISTIAN PROBLEMS 



This is the place to consider the heredity of the 

 tendency toward intemperance. No one believes 

 that intemperance itself is transmissible ; but that 

 the physical condition that makes intemperance 

 easy, and, if circumstances favour, almost inevi- 

 table, is transmitted is clearly taught by all stu- 

 dents of this subject whom I know. On this point 

 testimony is required, and only that of experts 

 will be offered. Eiam quotes the following from 

 the " Psychological Journal : " "The most startling 

 problem connected with intemperance is, that not 

 only does it affect the health, morals, and intelli- 

 gence of the offspring of its votaries, but that tJicy 

 also inherit the fatal tendency and feel a craving for 

 the very beverages which have acted as poisons on 

 their system fro jn the commencemeitt of tJieir being!' ^ 



Morel, one of the ablest investigators of this 

 subject, says : " I have never seen the patient 

 cured of his propensity whose tendencies to drink 

 were derived from the hereditary predisposition 

 given to him by his parents." 



Dr. Hutchison says : " I have seen only one case 

 completely cured, and that after a seclusion of two 

 years' duration. In general, it is not cured ; and 

 no sooner is the patient liberated than he mani- 

 fests all the symptoms of the disease. . . . Such 



1 A Physician^ P>-oble?>is, Elam, p. 40. 



