Nzawman.—Speculations on Physiological Changes. 41 
than in winter. After a short stay here the skin is browned—more tanned 
—a change arising directly from the greater force of the actinic and light 
rays acting on the hematosine and pigment cells. The hair grows abun- 
dantly, and often sooner turns grey. The bright English skin tints are 
toned down, and there seems a tendency to spareness. Lack of energy, 
lassitude, and premature ageing are also noticeable features. 
The greater warmth will tend to check an imported national vice, and, 
though it may seem venturesome to give an opinion, it seems pretty certain 
that drunkenness will not be so prevalent in young New Zealand as among 
the parent stock. Drunkenness is a form of vice specially suited to cold 
climates, and one that, perhaps, more than any other vice, is affected by 
heat and cold. Young Victorians, young Queenslanders, and young New 
South Walesmen, seem to inherit all the vices of their fathers except 
drunkenness, and any physiologist who looks at them can at once see, from 
their general spareness of frame and general lack of vigour, that they as 
a class must be sober. Young New Zealanders, who are much the same 
in appearance, look unfit for drunkenness. Many of the changes just 
enumerated will be continued and multiplied in the offspring. The monotony 
of the climate, its freedom from great extremes of heat and cold, is an 
unfortunate thing, for frost and snow, alternating with summer sultriness, 
stimulates mens bodies, the vital functions are actively carried on, and the 
lassitude and indolence generated by prolonged summer heat give place to 
energy. In India, in the Cape of Good Hope, and in Australia the English- 
man works less, and for a shorter time, with his muscles and brains than he 
would have done had he remained at home. The Englishman imports to 
this colony a stock of energy and a habit of working, but undoubtedly in 
his offspring may be seen a diminution of this energy, and as generations 
succeed each other the difference will increase. 
Besides the amount and distribution of heat, light, and actinic rays, of 
calms and storms, of rain and drought, of electricity and magnetism, there 
are doubtless very many other important conditions which affect the im- 
migrant, but unfortunately our knowledge of the laws of life is too limited 
to allow us to do more than speculate upon them. For instance, upon the 
chemical constitution of the soil may depend the success and welfare of a 
nation. Animal chemistry reveals the startling fact that the amount of 
phosphorus varies with the amount of mental activity. By analysis of 
infants’ brains, 8 parts in 1,000 are found to be phosphorus. In youths’ 
brains, whose minds are active, it rises to 16 per 1,000; and in adults, 
when the mind is most active, the amount increases to 18 per 1,000; in the 
aged, whose minds work little, it falls to 10 per 1,000; and in idiots, it 
never at any time rises above 8 per 1000, and the amount of brain work 
E 
