68 



A SWEDISH FARMER'S LINEAGE 



More serious nervous complaints appear (1.75 %). It is remarkable that 

 only a few serious cases of hysteria appear. Paralysis agitans (Parkinson's disease) 

 a grave nervous disease appears in a certain branch of the family (7 genuine cases, 

 possibly 9). That such an unusual illness appears in this way, concentrated within 

 a certain branch of the family, seems to me to be conclusive evidence that 

 heredity, even regarding this disease, is an important factor. 



We must remember that it is a disease which attacks persons when they have 

 reached an advanced age, so that a large number of those who perhaps have the 

 propensity, die before the disease breaks out. Diseases which specially attack the 

 aged, even if they are (according to Mendel) inherited as a recessive attribute, 

 appear comparatively, seldom. 



A large number of drunkards are found in the family (12.10 %). 



In addition to alcoholism we find other moral and social defects (3.14 %). 



As family diseases we find, in addition to the before*mentioned, paralysis 

 agitans, and the progessive myoklonus epilepsy, mental diseases, (dementia praecox 

 in different forms). 



In my original treatise I have paid particular attention to the above. 



To explain the reasons for family degeneration I have made several grou* 

 pings of the different households in the family. The material has been divided 

 into groups according to the absence or presence of taints in the parents. 



Table 5 is, as it were, summary of several foregoing tables, worked out for 

 the purpose of explaining this matter. I shall now proceed to further examine 

 the above table. 



TABLE 5. 



DIVISION OF THE MATERIAL INTO HOUSEHOLD GROUPS ACCORDING TO PRESENCE, OR ABSENCE OF 



PARENTAL TAINTS. 



The whole material comprised in this table contains, as we shall see, only 

 240 households with 1,391 children, instead of 377 households with 1,909 children, 

 before stated. This deviation is due to the fact, that those families in which 



as 



only children under 15 years are found, must be excluded in an analysis of this 

 kind because the generation cannot be, with certainty worked out in such cases. 



