238 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XLIX, No. 1262 



well as the inheritance of various degrees of 

 anosmia in general. 



" The case in point is that of a yoimg 

 Eussian Jew, a fugitive from Kiev." This 

 individual from Glaser's description presents 

 a definite case of anosmia. He is devoid of 

 powers of olfaction, though possessing a 

 sense of feeling in certain regions of the 

 nasal epithelium due to the presence of nor- 

 mal trigeminal endings. 



The family of which he is a member has 

 certain degenerate characteristics, which prob- 

 ably result from diseased conditions, since 

 he is from a region in which syphilis and 

 other diseases are extremely prevalent. There 

 is much stammering; early loss of incisors 

 (indicating epithelial infections) ; unusually 

 wide thumbs ; " considerable mental powers," 

 though doubtless morbid as shown by " ex- 

 cessive sex interest," etc. In this family 

 .there are " several individuals abnormal in 

 their sensitivity to odors." 



It so happens that two sisters are reported 

 to have a normal sense of smell, though it is 

 not indicated whether this diagnosis is based 

 on their own statements or on some form of 

 examination. At least such conclusions only 

 approach desired accuracy when based on 

 simple measurements with an ordinary olfac- 

 tometer. One brother has complete anosmia 

 and another is said to exhibit the condition to 

 a certain degree. The mother of these sibs 

 and her father were reported as cases of com- 

 plete anosmia. Such reports, Glaser believes, 

 show 'offhand, certain resemblances to sex- 

 linked inheritance." There was also " smell- 

 blindness " (an unfortunate expression used 

 by Blakeslee^ and going dangerously well with 

 sex-linked inheritance) in certain members of 

 a collateral line. 



After inquiries the young man examined by 

 Dr. Glaser finds that the defect is " inbred " 

 in the locality from which he comes " so that 

 quite a number are afflicted with it." 



I am certain that Dr. Glaser will pardon me 



2"TJmlike Eeaetions of Different Individuals to 

 Fragrance in Verbena Flowers," Science, N. S., 

 Vol. XLVTII., p. 298, September 20, 1918. 



for taking the liberty of questioning the value 

 of this record from a genetic standpoint, and 

 of pointing out certain serious objections to it. 



In Poland, parts of Eussia around Kiev, 

 Galicia and Hungary it is well known that 

 the serious disease rhinoscleroma, first de- 

 scribed by Hebra in 1870, is endemic. Such 

 a disease readily destroys the olfactory epi- 

 thelium beyond repair. Ehinoscleroma does 

 not occur in the United States except among 

 immigrants from the above regions; several 

 cases have been described by Emil Mayer^ in 

 New York City. In addition to this marked 

 disease, various forms of chronic rhinitis 

 causing congestion and fibrous thickening of 

 the nasal epithelium are extremely common 

 among Eussian Jews, as well as other races 

 of Eussian and Poland. Nasal polypi ac- 

 tually modifying the form of the external 

 nose and also causing anosmia are common. 

 Several of these diseases and catarrhal condi- 

 tions occur somewhat more frequently among 

 men than women owing to greater exposure 

 to colds and general nasal infections. 



My attention has frequently been attracted 

 to these facts during a number of years' ex- 

 perience in the anatomical dissecting room. 

 One often notices among Eussian Jews a lack 

 of the sense of smell to such a degree as to be 

 unable to detect the ordinary strong odors of 

 embalming fluids, etc. Many such persons 

 have chronic rhinitis or other affections of the 

 turbinal regions which tend to destroy or 

 cover over the olfactory epithelium of the 

 upper nose, causing a loss of the sense of 

 smell even when very yoimg. 



It would seem rather probable that the 

 family described by Glaser presents anosmia 

 among its members as a result of diseased 

 conditions. Evidence derived from the pre- 

 valence of even rhinoscleroma along with 

 many ordinary nasal affections, in the region 

 from which the examined man came, also 

 points more directly to disease as an explana- 



s ' ' Scleroma of the Larynx, ' ' Am. Jour. Med. 

 Sci., N. S., CXXXIII., p. 751, 1907. "Ehinoscle- 

 roma in North America, ' ' Laryngoscope, December, 

 1908. 



