PREPACE, 



IT is not with any pretention to literary ability 

 that I venture to approach this all -important 

 question, nor even with the confidence of being 

 able to make the subject sufficiently palatable for 

 the general public ; but having had opportuni- 

 ties of witnessing the effects of certain habits on 

 the physique of peoples, both in savage life and 

 in civilised communities, also having devoted a 

 considerable number of years to the study of the 

 subject, I am led to hope that what I have to 

 say, resulting from my experience and studies, 

 may be of some value. 



So far back as twenty years ago I had arrived 

 at the startling conclusion that there was a 

 general physical degeneration, not only in our 

 own country nor even limited to civilised 

 countries but extended over the whole world. 

 Such a statement, if made at that time, would 

 have met with but very few supporters. Subse- 

 quent events, however, have only more fully 

 convinced me that I was right, both in my 

 recognition of the fact of the general decline, 

 and in my conclusions as to the causes which, 

 during all historical time, have been leading up 

 to this deplorable result. 



My reasons for thinking as I do, and the con- 

 necting circumstances, are perhaps somewhat 

 imperfectly stated, and if that be so, I ask the 

 indulgence of the reader, at the same time urging 

 the importance of the subject matter. 



Streatham, W - H - 



June I7th, 1904. 



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