626 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



ing current obstacles, against impetuousness : Theft, begging, 

 gambling, extortion or idleness, against acquisitiveness : Follow- 

 ing inferior or poor plans of work, using bad tools or mechanism ; 

 or mere exercise instead of necessary labor, against constructive- 

 ness : Injury, severity, neglect ; or indiscreet assistance to any 

 sentient being, against beneficence : Unnecessary oddities, or ser- 

 vile imitations, against conformity : Disrespect against, or ser- 

 vile respect to, any person ; or neglect of divine institutions, 

 against subordination : Harsh, imperious efforts against persons 

 or animals, in exercising influence over them ; or shrinking from 

 exercising proper authority, against author itiveness : Negligence 

 of enlightened popular conduct or deportment ; or extorting 

 honors and compliments not merited or voluntarily bestowed, 

 against approbativeness : Indecision, or procrastination, after 

 reasonable intelligence, or premature determinations, against 

 conscientiousness : Bigotry ; or frequent changes of habits or 

 purposes, against firmness : Home-sickness, or frequent migra- 

 tions, against local attachment : Lonesomeness, or abuse or neg- 

 lect of acquaintances, against social attachment : Fondling dolls, 

 or petting cats, dogs, birds ; or cultivating unprolific flowers, 

 whether . botanical or zoological, instead of raising children, 

 against parental attachment : Self-denial of the conjugal society 

 of one spouse, or the monopoly of the society of every additional 

 spouse besides the first, against matrimonial attachment. 



Mr. Koch stated that it was found in Russia, where he had 

 lived many years, that alcohol was absolutely necessary for the 

 sustenance of life. 



Mr. Stevens, in reply, cited the fact that the Esquimaux had 

 not the means of distilling alcohol. He also stated that one- 

 quarter of all the idiots in Massachusetts were the offspring of 

 very intemperate parents one or two years before the transmis- 

 sion of the germ. 



Dr. Reuben maintained that alcohol was alcohol, no matter 

 how combined with other ingredients. Alcohol in wine will pro- 

 duce the same effect as pure alcohol, diluted or otherwise, except 

 BO far as it is modified by the presence of some other substances. 

 Strong coffee will neutralize, to some extent, the effects of alcohol. 

 So will certain vegetable acids. To his own mind it was not 

 proven that alcohol is always injurious, though its general effect 

 is to contract animal tissue. This could be shown by putting a 

 piece of flesh in alcohol ; and in post mortem examinations, the 



