TRAITS NOT TRANSMISSIBLE 101 



might easily be transmitted. In this case it is 

 not the moral quality of the act of drunkenness 

 that is transmitted, but the physical effect of alco- 

 hol, producing degeneracy of the nervous system, 

 showing itself in some physical weakness in the 

 child. But even this is still in the region of con- 

 troverted theory, awaiting confirmation. "Most 

 of the babies born in the slums are splendid little 

 specimens of humanity so far as physique is con- 

 cerned bearing no marks of the degeneration of 

 their parents. In a word, heredity works the 

 racial poisons apart so that each generation gets 

 a fresh start. If there be no process of selection, 

 each new generation begins where its predecessor 

 began and is as a whole neither worse nor better, 

 whether physically or psychically." (Saleeby, 

 22.) The famous Jukes family of New York State 

 has so often been quoted that it is well wrought 

 into the belief of people that bad parents have 

 bad children through the power of heredity. In 

 this case, however, there was first of all a de- 

 generate physical heritage producing its inevi- 

 table crop of insane and degenerate criminals. 

 Concerning this physical inheritance there is no 

 dispute ; but this case in no way substantiates the 

 claim that wicked parents have wicked children 

 through the power of inborn moral inheritance 

 What children of this family escaped a physical 

 degeneracy were kept in a corrupt environment, 

 which insured the moral reproduction of the par- 

 ents. The law of moral heritage can only be 



