The Study of Human Heredity. 7 



11. Occupations, whenever possible. 



12. A general description of the home influences, environment 

 end education. 



13. For each family, the sources of information. (Names, ad- 

 dresses and relationships to the individual who is being primarily 

 studied.) 



Description of Traits and Causes of Sickness and Death. The 

 field worker naturally directs inquiries primarily toward the specific 

 trait that is being studied (herein called primary trait). But the 

 opportunity is utilized to learn of other traits that may be significantly 

 or incidentally associated with the primary trait. In describing traits, 

 the person interviewed is encouraged to talk freely while the field 

 worker records the essential points in the description. In the case 

 of the primary traits too much detail can hardly be obtained, and 

 even in the associated traits she is not to be satisfied with vague terms 

 if details can be obtained. N. B. Experience indicates that it is not 

 desirable for the field worker to use a printed form in her interviews. 



Such vague terms, to be used only when further details cannot 

 be obtained, are : abscess, without cause or location ; accident; decline, 

 without naming disease ; cancer, without specifying organ first affected ,* 

 congestion, without naming organ affected; convulsions, without de- 

 tails and period of life; fever; heart trouble and heart failure; in- 

 sanity, without details (when possible distinguish alcoholic psychoses, 

 progressive or general paralysis, senile dementia, softening of the 

 brain, on the one hand, and such forms as manic-depressive insanity, 

 melancholia, paranioa, dementia prsecox, on the other) ; kidney trouble; 

 lung trouble; marasmus; stomach trouble. The following data are 

 considered especially valuable as symptoms, and should at the judg- 

 ment of the field worker be made the subject of inquiry: alcohoHsm, 

 venereal disease (including gonorrhea and syphilis), sexual immo rah ty, 

 St. Vitus' dance or chorea, and sick headaches. 



The term ''normal" should be used only to indicate that, in respect 

 to the primary trait, the individual is believed on trustworthy evidence 

 to be like most people. Normal is not to be applied to persons simply 

 because nothing is known to the contrary. 



Limits to Pedigree. How far among collaterals is it desirable to 

 extend the pedigree ? This depends on the nature of the primary trait. 

 If, as in the case of most defects, it is due to the absence of a quality 

 essential to normal development then it will be desirable to learn at 



