4 Heredity and Child Culture 



environment counts for much in this work, so 

 potent in future possibilities. 



It is evident that, correlated with this long 

 period of infancy there must be a time of 

 maternal care and watchfulness if the race is to 

 exist in health and vigor. Knowledge is re- 

 quired as well as care, for mistakes made 

 at this time can never be completely corrected. 

 The first few years of life are, biologically 

 speaking, the most important ones we live. The 

 beginning organism has at this time stamped 

 on it the possibilities of future vigorous life 

 or of early degeneration and decay. This is 

 to a certain extent true all through the period 

 of childhood, from birth to adolescence. Hence 

 a careful study and understanding of all the 

 phases of infancy and childhood are of the 

 greatest importance alike to physicians, parents 

 and society at large. This is the only period 

 where really constructive and permanent work 

 can be accomplished. Through intelligent di- 

 rection children may be taken out of environ- 

 ments which will develop the worst and placed 



